Myitsone dam project is the China-invested project which attracts strong opposition from all Myanmar citizens including ethic locals. The suspension of the Myisone dam project since the time of the previous government is an example of how strong the people’s stance on the dam project is. Until now, the people’s stance on this dam project remains unchanged.
Like the Myitsone dam, there emerges another controversial project opposed by the public. This is the New Yangon City project to be developed by China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC). Like the Myitsone project, there are strong opposition to and widespread criticism of the new city project among the public due to the lack of transparency in investments and the facts about the project and a distrust of those who will lead the project.
The new Yangon city plan can cause land disputes and it can give the land plots worth millions of kyats in market price, to the hands of Chinese investors cheaply in addition to profit sharing issues. It will become like a situation where the town is controlled by foreign investors because the new town is not under the control of Yangon but under the control of New Yangon Development Company Ltd. (NYDC) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC). Alternatively, it is like encroaching upon our sovereignty. The situation cannot be accepted by the people.
It is noticeable that the hatred for Chinese is likely to increase among Myanmar citizens as the CCCC, the main investor of the new Yangon city plan, is from China. China is a friendly nation with Myanmar and a powerful country. It is also the biggest investor in Myanmar. So it is important not to cause misunderstanding and hatred between the two peoples.
Chinese Embassy to Myanmar announced a statement recently. It slammed the report by a Bangladesh news agency which claimed that China had signed off on a plan for a safe zone. China always takes the Rakhine issue seriously. It supports Myanmar's repatriation process to promptly accept the displaced people after bilateral coordination in accord with the repatriation agreement signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh. The statement says China does not support the establishment of a safe zone in Myanmar. Since China has stood by Myanmar over the Rakhine issue amid international pressure, China's stance has won recognition of Myanmar people. They also show positive attitude towards Myanmar's participation in BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), a Chinese strategic project, as well as towards other Chinese investments except for the unacceptable Myitsone project.
However, China should take notice of unacceptable and complicated projects like a new Yangon city project. Their insistence on the project without taking public stance into consideration will become the second Myitsone issue. What's more, the project may harm the relations between the two peoples and the insistent implementation of the project may trigger mass protests. All in all, The Daily Eleven views that China should avoid any act to cause anti-Chinese sentiment as it can encroach upon Myanmar's sovereignty because it has voiced respect for Myanmar's territorial integrity.
