Trade activities on some Sino-Myanmar borders including Nantaw, Sinphyu and Mang Wein, which performed the majority of trade, are slated to restart on 8 January, said U Min Thein, vice-chair of Muse Rice Wholesale Centre. China has shut down all crossings linking to the Muse border amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, imposing travel bans at Nantaw and Sinphyu borders from 1 April 2020 and Mang Wein from 30 March 2021. Only Kyinsankyawt resumed trading activities on 26 November 2022 after the closure on 8 July 2021. “Mang Wein border saw a bustling trade with 400 and 500 trucks.
The other two crossings – Nantaw and Sinphyu – have been closed down for three years. Now, those will be reopened on 8 January. They will be accessible by road vehicles (trucks, vans, motorcycles) again,” U Min Thein said. Additionally, the driver-substitution system will be abolished along with the reopening of the border crossings. There is no responsibility and accountability if goods are damaged under the driver-substitution system. Therefore, Myanmar exporters choose short-haul driver service at the Kyinsankyawt border and bear high freight costs.
If this system is cancelled, we can directly go on the China side, tackle delay problems, facilitate trade in the Muse border, save high short-haul driver costs and help cut unemployment, U Min Thein added. Myanmar daily delivers rice, broken rice, pulses, rubber, watermelon, fishery products, chilli pepper and other food commodities to China through Kyinsankyawt with about 100 trucks and building materials, electrical appliances, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, household goods and industrial raw materials are imported into the country with 40 trucks. Myanmar has opened five border trade posts with China – Muse, Lweje, Kampaiti, Chinshwehaw and Kengtung. The majority of the trade is carried out through Muse, Ministry of Commerce’s data indicated.
Source: The Global New Light of Myanmar