the Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Russia–Myanmar relations

Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Burma (former name of Myanmar) were established on February 18, 1948. The USSR provided essential technical and material support to this country, such as construction of a technological institute and a hotel in Yangon and a hospital in Taunggyi. In December 1991, Myanmar recognised Russia as the successor state to the USSR.

The political dialogue continues to advance, including at the highest level. In 1955 and 1960, Nikita Khrushchev visited Myanmar. A significant moment in bilateral relations came with the 2006 official visit to Russia made by the Deputy Chairman of Myanmar’s State Council for Peace and Development. On May 19, 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Myanmar Htin Kyaw met on the sidelines of the Commemorative Russia–ASEAN Summit in Sochi. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held meetings with President of Myanmar Thein Sein on the sidelines of the East Asia summits in November 2014 ( Naypyidaw) and in November 2015 ( Kuala Lumpur).

Regular contacts are maintained by the countries’ ministries and  agencies. In June 2015, Vice President of Myanmar Nyan Tun came to Russia on a working visit and held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, as well as the Minister of Economic Development and the Minister of Industry and Trade. In February 2012, Foreign Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar came to Russia on a working visit. In January 2013, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Myanmar. In July 2016, Sergey Lavrov held a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar State Counsellor and Foreign Minister, on the sidelines of ASEAN ministerial meetings in Vientiane. Consultations between the foreign ministries at the deputy minister level are held regularly, with the latest round taking place in June 2015. In May 2017,  Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov met in Moscow with National Security Advisor of the Union Government U Thaung Tun.

In 2016, trade was $258.3 million, with Russian exports standing at $239 million, and imports at $19.2 million. The main exports are machinery, equipment and vehicles (78.6 percent), chemical products (3.6 percent), wood and pulp and paper products (2.3 percent), metals and metal products (2 percent), food products and agricultural commodities (1.1 percent). The main imports from Myanmar are textiles and textile articles (84.9 percent), rawhide, fur products (9.2 percent), food and agricultural products (4.8 percent).

The Russia-Myanmar Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was established in August 2014. Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshkin has been the Chairman of the Commission since July 2017.

The countries maintain security and defence cooperation. In November 2014, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolay Patrushev came to Myanmar on a working visit. He held talks with Myanmar’s Vice President Nyan Tun in Moscow in June 2015 and with Myanmar’s National Security Advisor U Thaung Tun in Moscow in March 2017. In March 2013, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu visited Myanmar. In June 2017, Sergey Shoigu and Nikolay Patrushev held separate meetings with Myanmar’s Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. In June 2016, the 15^th session of the Russia–Myanmar Mixed Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation was held.

Cultural ties are progressing too. Two spaces are reserved for students from Myanmar to study for free in the 2017/2018 academic year. Furthermore, over 700 Myanmar citizens attend Russian universities on a commercial basis. There are plans to establish the Russian Language Centre in the Yangon University of Foreign Languages (YUFL) within the framework of the cooperation agreement signed by the Russkiy Mir Foundation and the YUFL on December 12, 2014. The Society for Friendship and Cooperation with the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is working actively.