Beijing praises Naypyidaw for Myanmar election
Guo Jiakun, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, congratulated Burma for a “steady and orderly general election with [an] active turnout” during a press conference in the capital Beijing on Monday. The military’s 2025-26 elections ended on Sunday after voting took place in 263 of 330 townships on Dec. 28, Jan. 11, and Jan. 25.
“China stands ready to continue deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperation with Myanmar,” said Guo Jiakun. He added that Beijing continues its policy of non-interference in Burma’s internal affairs. China’s Special Envoy Deng Xijun told a press briefing in Naypyidaw on Dec. 29 that the elections were an agreement between regime leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Burma nationals living in South Korea, Japan, and Australia told DVB that they issued a joint statement on Jan. 27, denouncing the military’s “sham” elections and requesting the international community engage with the National Unity Government (NUG), a group representing lawmakers elected in 2020 but ousted in the 2021 coup. The statement was delivered to the Office of the President in South Korea by migrants from Burma.
Home rental rates in Yangon ‘double’ since 2021
Yangon residents told DVB that home rental rates have nearly doubled over the last five years since the military coup on February 1, 2021. One Yangon tenant told DVB that the average monthly rent for an apartment in downtown areas, including Pazuntaung, Botahtaung, Kyauktada, Pabedan, Latha, and Lanmadaw townships, can reach as high as 700,000 MMK ($180 USD), which is above the reach of most low-income households.
A real estate agent told DVB on the condition of anonymity that “mass relocation” to Burma’s largest city from other states and regions due to fighting between regime and resistance forces has driven up demand and contributed to rising rental costs. Another agent told DVB that many people are choosing to invest in real estate because of volatility in U.S. dollar and gold prices, which has also pushed property prices higher.
Gold sellers told DVB that the price of one tical, approximately 16 grams, of gold, hit 10.2 million MMK ($2,600 USD) on Jan. 22, which was a 350,000 MMK ($90 USD) increase within one week. The regime-controlled Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) announced on Jan. 21 that it would sell $25 million USD (97.5 billion MMK) to fuel oil importers in an apparent attempt to stabilize the USD price. See today’s currency exchange rate at bottom
Pro-military rally in Yangon over Rohingya genocide case
A support rally was held in front of City Hall in downtown Yangon on Tuesday by the pro-military Patriotic Association of Myanmar, known by its Burmese acronym Ma Ba Tha, for the Burma delegation at the second round of hearings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Rohingya genocide case. The rally “condemned” the Gambia’s allegations that genocide was committed in Arakan State in 2016-17 against the Rohingya.
“I deny that there has been any genocide in Myanmar,” Ashin Thuseikta, a Buddhist monk, told attendees. Hundreds of Ma Ba Tha members from Yangon’s Pazundaung, Botahtaung, Dawbon, Thaketa, Mayangon, Hlaingthaya and North Okkalapa townships, attended the rally. Win Ko Ko Latt, a legal advisor known for his nationalist stance and leadership in the anti-Rohingya movement, also attended the rally.
Chants of “Stop immediately the accusations of committing genocide without solid evidence,” were made. A delegation led by regime minister Ko Ko Hlaing is representing Burma at the ICJ hearings which will wrap up today. The Gambia brought the case against Burma in 2019 alleging that it violated the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide for its actions against the Rohingya in northern Arakan.
News by Region
KAREN—Residents of Myawaddy Township told DVB that members of the Border Guard Force (BGF) remain in Myawaddy town despite an order from Light Infantry Division (LID) 22 to withdraw to its headquarters in Shwe Kokko by Jan. 25. Shwe Kokko is located 16 miles (25 km) north of Myawaddy, which is 81 miles (130 km) east of the state capital Hpa-An.
A Myawaddy resident told DVB that they fear airstrikes by the Burma Air Force if fighting breaks out between regime forces and the BGF. The LID 22 also warned that if the regime Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 275 headquarters in Myawaddy is attacked by any armed group, the Air Force will target 18 locations in the town.
SHAN—The Pa-O National Organization (PNO) claimed victory in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) Hsihsing, Hopong and Pinlaung townships, as well as Taunggyi and Loilem townships, during the military elections which ended on Sunday. The Pa-O SAZ capital Hopong is located 13 miles (21 km) east of the state capital Taunggyi.
A resident in the Pa-O SAZ told DVB that the PNO scored five seats in the Pyithu Hluttaw, or lower house of parliament, one seat in the Amyotha Hluttaw, or upper house of parliament, and five seats in the State Hluttaw in three rounds of voting. The PNO armed wing is the pro-military Pa-O National Army (PNA).
YANGON—The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) candidate Nay Min Tun claimed that he had won the post of Rakhine Ethnic Affairs Minister in the military elections. A total of six candidates, including one independent, contested for the region’s Rakhine Ethnic Affairs Minister post.
The military’s Union Election Commission (UEC) has not announced the winner as of Wednesday night. It disqualified independent candidate Tin Htoo Aung in November for violating Section 10 (M) of UEC Law for his alleged “unlawful association” with groups declared illegal by the regime in Naypyidaw.
(Exchange rate: $1 USD = 3,890 MMK)
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