Two of the three border gates with the Chinese city of Ruili in the northern Shan town of Muse were finally opened to the public on 14 January, after having been closed for years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Muse Rice Commodity Exchange Vice-Chairman, Min Thein, the Man Wein Border Gate was reopened at 7:00 a.m . on 14 January.

The Sin Phyu Border Gate was reportedly reopened at about 11:00 a.m. the same day.

Min Thein explained that the crossings are only open to two and six-axle cargo trucks. He said they are not currently open to pedestrians because the number of people entering still needs to be restricted for the time being ,due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in China.

Nandaw Border Gate, the third border gate connecting Muse to Ruili will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

Previously, on 8 January, China opened its side of the Man Wein and Sin Phyu border gates, but they remained closed on the Myanmar side till 14 January. They were not re-opened immediately on 8 January because the Myanmar authorities had concerns about the number of COVID-19 cases in China.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hundreds of commercial and passenger vehicles used to cross every day at the Wan Mein Border Gate.

According to estimates nearly 60,000 people died in China as a result of COVID-19, from early December to 12 January.