At a military meeting in Naypyidaw, Min Aung Hlaing stated that peace in the country would remain difficult as long as illegal trade continues, emphasizing the need for effective action. He claimed that discussions are ongoing with relevant countries to combat illegal trade and restart official border trade operations. He compared allowing illegal trade without official border checkpoints to ‘reviving a dead tiger’ and ‘handing a sword to a thief.’
He asserted that combating illegal trade would help establish rule of law and reduce armed violence. He ordered authorities in states and regions bordering neighboring countries to effectively manage illegal trade issues, warning that all those involved would face strict enforcement actions. The military leader has used illegal trade as a pretext to restrict imports into the country, leading to shortages of consumer goods, medicines, and many other imported products.
The military council’s policy requiring Export Earnings for imports has created significant difficulties for businesses. Both exporters and importers are facing severe challenges, with trade nearly at a standstill due to foreign currency shortages. During his trip to China from August 30 to September 6, Min Aung Hlaing acknowledged that import restrictions were implemented due to international financial sanctions against Myanmar. The situation has severely impacted the country’s business community, with many traders unable to conduct normal import-export operations due to the military council’s restrictive policies and lack of access to foreign currency.
