From October 19 to 23, on invitation from the Soil Ecology Group of Bamboo Research and Development Center of SFA, a 6-member delegation from Burma’s bamboo industry visited the Bamboo Center. The members include Director of Burma’s Bamboo and Rattan Industry Association, Mr. Tin Oo, Director of Burma Ecological Protection and Social Development Association, Mr Ko Ko Gyi, Head of Burma’s Rural Development Plan Mr. Saw Win and representatives from Burma’s bamboo and rattan industry.

The delegation’s main purpose is to discuss the role of bamboo industry in the Belt and Road Initiative, to map the future development of China and Burma’s bamboo industry, and to enhance the communication and cooperation between China and Burma’s bamboo industry. The delegation introduced the distribution, utilization and product structure of bamboos in Burma, and expressed the government’s stress put on the cooperation of China and Burma’s bamboo industries. Members of the Bamboo Center discussed with the delegation in depth about the application strategies and working plans of current programs, and made plans for future programs, and discussed on the role of bamboo industries in the Belt and Road Initiative which shall be one of the topics of the top leaders’ meeting between China and Burma.

The delegation also visited the bamboo, bamboo shoots and bamboo charcoal processing enterprises in Zhejiang and Anhui, and talked about cooperation issues.

Burma is the third largest country of bamboo in the world, with a total bamboo forest of 2.2 million acres and more than 130 species. But till now its bamboo industry is still in infantry. The processing technologies and industry management are simple and extensive, which led to Burma’s less than 1 million dollars total bamboo export in 2015. Therefore, under the strategic background of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, it’s of great importance to Burma’s rural economy to cooperate with China’s bamboo industry aiming more chances and development from this part of economy.