Hundreds of vehicles were stranded at the Kyinsankyawt-Wantain gate when China temporarily closed the gate without prior warning giving to Myanmar on March 25 as one of the staff working from the Chinese side infected with Omicron variant.

“What we saw in the Chinese news was that a Chinese staff has infected with Omicron variant. They are not giving any information of closing the gate. Chinese health care system is to lockdown the whole area when one is infected. If there is no infection, it seems to be opened again,” said an official from Shwe Leiin grounds.

“What I heard was a man from central level pressured the man from the Wantain-Manwaing gate to make health inspection. In the letter written in Chinese, it was written that because of less disciplinary measures in following health standard, the gate has to be closed. My three vehicles loaded with cargos were stranded in the Chinese custom office grounds. Hundreds of vehicles going to Myanmar are also stranded in China,” said a merchant living in Wantain.

In Shwe Leiin grounds in Myanmar side, 319 vehicles with cargos are waiting and similar cases are happening in Chinese side according to merchants.

There are a total of 319 vehicles stranded in the Shwe Leiin grounds in Myanmar side including 16 watermelon vehicles, 6 pumpkin vehicles, 71 rice vehicles, 3 broken rice vehicles, 29 maize vehicles, and 51 melon cucumber vehicles.