The United States on Monday suspended its trade deal with Myanmar and criticised the military for its violent crackdown on anti-coup prote...
The United States on Monday suspended its trade deal with Myanmar and criticised the military for its violent crackdown on anti-coup protests in the country.
“USTR [the United States Trade Representative] will suspend all US trade engagement with Burma under the 2013 Trade and Investment Framework Agreement,” the agency’s Ambassador Katherine Tai said in a tweet. “We support the people of Burma’s efforts to restore a democratically-elected government, which has been the foundation of Burma’s economic growth and reform.”
Tai added that the actions of Myanmar’s military were a “direct assault” on the country’s transition to democracy and the people’s efforts to achieve peace and prosperity.
These actions are a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the efforts of the Burmese people to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future.”
— Ambassador Katherine Tai (@AmbassadorTai) March 29, 2021
The official added that the international community was shocked by the killing of peaceful protestors, students, children and medics in Myanmar.
The suspension of the trade deal removes Myanmar from the Generalised System of Preferences, under which certain products can enter the US duty-free if beneficiary developing countries meet the eligibility criteria.
More than 500 people have been killed in the violence in Myanmar, AFP reported on Monday, citing local monitoring group Assistance Association...
