NEWS - Myanmar-China Bilateral Trad

[Rangoonp@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NEWS - Myanmar-China Bilateral Trade Reaches Nearly 400 Mln

NOTE: The wood mentioned below is likely Burma's hardwoods that they
have been selling at Under Market Values to Thailand and China.  At
least for those that aren't illegally taken.

Myanmar-China Bilateral Trade Reaches Nearly 400 Mln

               Xinhua
               07-APR-99

               Dollars 

               YANGON (April 8) XINHUA - Myanmar-China bilateral trade
               reached 381.1 million U.S. dollars in 1998, 21.56 percent
               more than that in 1997 which was 313.5 million dollars. 

               The latest official figures, issued by Myanmar's Central
               Statistical Organization, show that the country imported
               257.7 million dollars' worth of goods from China, while
               exporting to China commodities valued at 123.4 million
               dollars. 

               Myanmar mainly imports from China capital and consumer
               goods including transport and electrical machinery and
               apparatus, while its chief exports to China cover timber,
               marine and agricultural products. 

               Border trade between Myanmar and China has been playing
               an important role in the two countries' bilateral trade.
So far,
               Myanmar has opened, on its side, six trade points along
the
               border with China. 

               In its efforts to expand the foreign trade, Myanmar
exempted
               the 5 percent commercial tax since February 1998,
lowering
               the border trade service charges to 8 percent from 10
               percent and raising the income tax rate on imported
               commodities from 1.5 percent to 2 percent.