20 January 2025
According to the Chinese government’s directive, the Wa State Army (UWSA) announced today, January 20, 2025, that permission has been granted to freely pass goods through the Kokang region. This statement was released by the UWSA’s media outlet, Wa News Land.
The announcement mentions that the Chinese government has granted full freedom for the movement of vehicles, people, and goods between the Kokang region and Wa State, especially through the Fang Sai bridge. The Chinese government’s office in Myanmar also sent a notification confirming this decision, which came into effect on January 20, 2025.
Additionally, the announcement stated that except for military supplies, regular citizens can now freely buy and sell everyday goods and support supplies as usual.
Currently, border gates including Chin Shwe Hto and Laukkai, as well as the Wa-China border gate at Nantit (Mankha), have been reopened as of yesterday. This has allowed oil to once again flow into the region.
U Ni Yan, a spokesperson for the Wa State Army (UWSA), mentioned that due to China’s previous border closure policy, there were some fuel shortages within Wa State. However, since the reopening of the gates yesterday, fuel and some building materials have started to flow back into the region. Other machinery and supplies, however, have not yet been reported to be entering.
#mtnews #Myanmar #China #Wa #UWSA #Kokang #Border #trade
