Myanmar merchants to sue Chinese broker over seized goods

By Admin 04 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
4 July 2023, Yangon

Myanmar exporters will sue a Chinese company for the return of agricultural products seized by Chinese authorities.

China’s customs department detained Chinese traders at the border on May 24 for allegedly evading taxes. Over 10,000 tonnes of beans and pulses exported by Myanmar merchants and being kept in Wanding warehouses owned by Chinese businessmen were also confiscated.

Chinese authorities auction off seized agricultural products on June 14, but have not yet seized the proceeds.

“We made exports legally, and we will therefore sue the Chinese company that brokered the deal. Though the Chinese government has auctioned off those products, it has not yet seized the proceeds as state funds,” said beans and pulses merchant U Zaw Khaing Myint. 

Those exports belonged to 29 merchants from Mandalay and were worth around 3 billion kyats.

“The Chinese government detained and questioned the Chinese brokers, but released them later.

As it has not prosecuted those brokers, Myanmar merchants may be able to get back goods,” said the chairman of the Mandalay Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, U Win Htay.

Officials from the Mandalay Commodity Exchange and Mandalay Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, meanwhile, have sent requests to the junta’s Commerce Ministry, the Yangon Region chief minister, the Mandalay Region chief minister and the Chinese Consulate, asking them to intervene.

Myanmar merchants said they had paid taxes to the Commerce Ministry as well as Chinese authorities for the goods confiscated in Wanding.