China opened three border gates to Myanmar on 8 January, but Myanmar refused to open the gates on its side of the border, despite announcing that it would.

The Chinese Embassy in Yangon said that the three border gates on the Myanmar border in China’s Ruili City in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province, opposite Muse in Myanmar’s Shan north, would be opened at 8:00 a.m. on 8 January, after having been closed for the last three years.

But, following fears resulting from surging COVID-19 infection rates in China, the Myanmar authorities decided to suspend opening the border gates, according to sources on the Myanmar side of the gates.

These three border gates, Nandaw, Sinphyu (White Elephant) and Manwein see the highest levels of border trade between China and Myanmar. Goods that go through these gates are often traded at Muse’s 105-Mile Border Market.

Over $4,800 million USD was traded at the 105-Mile Border Market in the 2019 to 2020 financial year, but following the February 2021 coup and COVID-19 restrictions that trade plummeted to about $300 million USD for the 2021 to 2022 financial year.

Myanmar border traders who were planning to export rice and other cereal crops through these gates are now unable to do so and are facing financial hardships. Some people who were also waiting to cross into China have been unable to do so because the Myanmar gates are closed.

According to the border traders the Myanmar junta appears to be monitoring the rate of COVID-19 infections in China. The traders did not know how long the border gates would remain closed on the Myanmar side.