What Matters

Myanmar has attracted more than USD 54 billion in foreign investment within over two years since the coup Of these, 70 percent (approximately USD 4 billion) is directed to the energy sector The extent of foreign investment in the energy sector includes USD 25 billion - part of China's Mee Lin Gyaing LNG Power project, which was approved in May Read more...

At least 9,347 clashes have occurred across Myanmar in more than two years since the coup, with 1,407 of them happening in just the first four months of 2023 More than half of these 1,407 clashes—about 58 percent— broke out between the combined EAO (Ethnic Armed Organizations) and PDF (People’s Defense Force) forces and SAC’s (State Administration Council) forces The number of clashes between the combined EAO and PDF forces and the SAC’s forces within these four months is the second Read more...

Traditionally, political prisoners in Myanmar are granted freedom by the military junta within two years since the coup, often coinciding with auspicious national holidays such as Myanmar New Year, Union Day, National Day, and Independence Day However, this year marks the first time that political prisoners were released on the religious full-moon day of Kason, which falls on the second month of the traditional Burmese calendar The timing of this amnesty is notable, as it occurred just one day Read more...

Since the coup, at least 2,694,567 people have been internally displaced as of April 20, 2023 due to violent clashes Prior to the coup, there were some 497,200 internally displaced people (IDPs) In total, there are over three million IDPs in Myanmar Furthermore, at least one million people, including the Rohingya, remain IDPs who have fled across borders to Read more...

The State Administration Council (SAC) imposed martial law two years since the coup and stepped up their offensives in areas where there was substantial resistance The frequency of airstrikes increased as fighting between the military and local resistance forces grew more intense in Kayah State, Southern Shan State, Kayin State, Chin State, and the Sagaing Region Battles between armed forces are occurring more frequently and throughout wider geographic areas because of the military's offensives Read more...

When comparing official announcements of the two-way trade figures of Myanmar and China, there is a gap of almost USD 11 billion This applies to data in the eight months of the 2022-2023 fiscal year from April to November According to announcements of the State Administration Council, trade value with China for the period was over USD 6 billion But it was almost USD 17 billion in the corresponding China announcements ISP-Myanmar will explain in brief how this gap has occurred and other Read more...

During post-coup armed conflicts and clashes, at least 57,807 houses and buildings (including religious buildings) have been torched and destroyed as of January 15, 2023 Between November 2022 and mid-January 2023 alone, at least 19,239 houses and buildings were torched and destroyed Moreover, at least 673 houses and buildings have been torched and destroyed in 10 townships that had previously experienced no acts of arson Among them, Myingyan township, Sagaing Region experienced the largest Read more...

Since the coup in February 2021, three new rail-road-sea cross-border trade routes connecting China and Myanmar have emerged These three routes were not initially part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and they facilitate access by China’s western provinces to the Indian Ocean and neighboring countries in the Read more...