Since the reopening of Jea-kao gate (akaThe Kyalgaung Gate), situated at the China-Burma border in Muse Township, Shan State, it is once more a bustling hub of activity with a constant influx of individuals entering and exiting the region on a daily basis.

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According to local residents, approximately 1,000 individuals, predominantly young people, enter and exit the Jea-kao gate day by day.

“Every day, several hundred to nearly a thousand individuals mainly young people, pass through the gate, either commuting to work on the Chinese side or as visitors. Those who are entering must queue and wait for their turn,” a 40-year-old Muse resident told Shan Herald.

In order to pass through the Jea-kao gate individuals must endure lengthy waits in line. In order to streamline the process of crossing the border, residents of Muse have been provided with border passes.

“Residents of Muse and Nam Khan, whose national identification cards begin with the code number 13/, as well as drivers of large lorries, are typically given priority status for obtaining red books (border passes). The cost of these passes is usually around 15,000 kyats”, the Muse resident mentioned above said.

Prior to the COVID epidemic and the border closure, the fee for a border pass was only 500 kyats, but now the fee has increased to 15,000 kyats. The validity of the border pass, which is commonly referred to as the ‘red passport book’ is permitted for up to one year.

Following the re-opening of the Myanmar-China border passages, trade and communication routes have returned to normal. Additionally, farm crops such as mangoes, watermelons, and cucumbers have made a comeback in the border trade.