Gate closures at Myanmar-China borderline shortages goods, foods
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Lynn (NP News) - Oct 28
The only remaining trade gate between China and Myanmar, the Kengtung- Mongla gate, has been closed by the Chinese side on October 22, according to some traders in the border areas. This has raised concerns among Myanmar traders about ongoing trade disruptions.
"The gates are closed now. We can’t conduct any imports or exports. There are no more activities happening. All trade has come to a halt," said a prominent trader from Muse to NP News .
In fact, information about the closure of trade routes from China to Myanmar had been circulating earlier, and then all trade activities came to a halt on October 22.
Along the Myanmar-China border, there are five key trade posts crucial for cross-border trade between the two countries. These include the Muse (105-mile) trade zone, Chinshwehaw, Lweje, Kanpaikti and the Kengtung border post.
The Muse (105-mile) and the Chinshwehaw border trade post in northeast of Shan State have been the busiest trade centers along the Yangon-Mandalay-Lashio-Muse route.
Following an operation by the terrorists on October 27, 2023, the government shifted its reliance to the Lweje and Kanpaikti border posts in Kachin State. However, when the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) took control of Lweje in April 2024, trade at the Lweje border post also came to a halt.
In September and October 2024, as the KIA and allied forces captured Panwah, the Special Region (1) in northern Myanmar, the situation on the ground worsened, leading to increased insecurity in the border areas. As a result, all border trade posts have been closed by the Chinese side.
"I’ve heard that the request to close the border gates is coming from the Myanmar side. Armed groups are increasingly relying on illegal goods for their operations. That's why I've heard the government is making this request. With the closure, prices of Chinese goods in the country will rise. Right now, we can't import anything from the Myawaddy side due to seizures. The same goes for the Dawei area; nothing is coming in from either side. There are no import permits being granted, so with limited supplies, prices will inevitably increase. We might also see shortages and disruptions in the market. I believe this closure will last at least until next month," said the trader.
Recent reports on social media indicate that there was a meeting between Mr. Deng Xijun, the Chinese special envoy for Myanmar, and the UWSA (United Wa State Army). The meeting reports reveal discussions about halting the flow of Chinese goods into areas controlled by the MNDAA (Kokang group).
At the same time, both the Chinese and Thai borders have been strictly inspecting tariff-avoided imports destined for Myanmar. With the stringent inspections of goods at both the Myanmar-China and Myanmar-Thailand borders, many retail and wholesale stores have begun removing Chinese and Thai products from their shelves.
As a result, there has been a significant shortage of consumer goods and food items from China and Thailand within the country.