Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) is pressing ahead with plans to start manufacturing vehicles in Myanmar this year as part of the Chinese state-owned group's ambitious internationalization plan, Nikkei Asia reported.

Many investors from Japan and elsewhere, by contrast, have put Myanmar investment plans on hold or retreated from ventures in the nation amid continuing violence between protesters and military forces.

Toyota Motor had been scheduled to open a new $52 million factory that month but has held off on the launch.