The military coup in Myanmar is a setback for democracy in the country and introduces a new wrinkle in the trade dynamic between the U.S. and China. Last week, Myanmar’s army seized power from the civilian government and imposed a year-long state of emergency. The coup comes after decades of persecution of Rohingya Muslims in the country’s coastal region which escalated in 2017 under the previous, democratically elected leader. The U.S. imposed sanctions on the country in December of 2019 after more than 1 million Rohingya fled to Bangladesh. Since then, the U.S. and Myanmar have traded over $1 billion in goods with apparel, footwear and luggage accounting for over 70 percent of U.S. imports from the country. While last week’s coup threatens to undermine trade with the U.S., it may have broader implications for raw material supply chains in electronics, electric vehicles, wind power and other industries.
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Mining for metal and fueling freight
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The military coup in Myanmar is a setback for democracy in the country and introduces a new wrinkle in the trade dynamic between the U.S. and China. Last week, Myanmar’s army seized power from the civilian government and imposed a year-long state of emergency. The coup comes after decades of persecution of Rohingya Muslims in the country’s coastal region which escalated in 2017 under the previous, democratically elected leader. The U.S. imposed sanctions on the country in December of 2019 after more than 1 million Rohingya fled to Bangladesh. Since then, the U.S. and Myanmar have traded over $1 billion in goods with apparel, footwear and luggage accounting for over 70 percent of U.S. imports from the country. While last week’s coup threatens to undermine trade with the U.S., it may have broader implications for raw material supply chains in electronics, electric vehicles, wind power and other industries.