In the 105 mile trade zone in Muse, the main location for China - Myanmar border trade, trading had stalled and had dropped by more than half, due to no one paying the import export duty and due to the closure of private banks.
U Min Aung Aye, director of 105 mile border trade zone, said, " At the moment trading is going on as usual. It stalled for a while yesterday and on the 8th and 9th..But trading is going on in Mann Wein and Kyin Sann Kyawt trade posts. Vehicles that had undergone trade checks previously are going. The same goes for vehicles bringing in goods from China. There is no stopping of trading in Mann Wein and Kyin Sann Kyawt trade posts. Both I want to say two main things about this 105 mile trade zone.The first point is that in 105 mile and in Muse private banks were closed on the 8th and 9th. Due to the closure of banks there was a bit of difficulty in the circulation of cash. The second point is that as far as I know the representatives and agents of companies that are conducting trade in the 105 mile trade zone had gone to Express their wishes, there was no paying of duty on the 8th and 9th. But right now trade is going on with the going of fruit trucks and watermelons trucks. There are no other assorted goods. Today trading in fruits is going on again. There is no stopping. Duty is being paid and trucks are going. The situation is not in zero position ".
Compared to the same time as before there were 1000 trucks trading goods, but now due to the political situation these days trading has dropped by more than half.
U Min Aung Aye said, " Normally about 1000 trucks should be going. On the 7th there were about 1400 trucks. Yesterday, the 8th, the number lessened a bit. Trading had dropped slightly. In one day the amount of trading done was between 10 to 15 million US dollars. The previous day that amount had dropped quite much. Percentage wise it had dropped by more than 50% ".
He continued to say, " In trade we have to see that there is no halt at any time. It is a question of continuous flow of goods from traders and peasants. There is no stop in purchase from the . other side. Our country has to be ready with the goods for trade. So we have to see to the continuous trading. Only then will it be beneficial to the farmers and peasants and the state. There will be more business opportunities. China is trading as usual. As trade is conducted across the border regularly thise dealing in import and export should work continuously. We from the trade section will see to the smooth functioning of trade ".
Banks in Northern Shan State, including Muse, have been closed due to the political crisis, and a lot of people are drawing cash from ARMs only.
It was learnt from truck drivers that it has been four days that exporting goods trucks had been in the 105 mile trade zone for inspection, and that it has been two days that importing goods trucks were in the trade zone. Between 700 and 1000 were queuing up for inspection.
One truck driver, Ko Soe Min Htun said that he had been there for four days
They said that there is no inspection by the Customs as there were no agents to pay custom duty.
Although Daily Eleven had tried to meet with the representatives of companies within the 195 mile trade zone they could not meet them.
It was learnt that on 10 th Feb. thousands of people continued with the protests in Muse.
