The border trade value of Myanmar through 15 border trade gates in the first nine months of this fiscal year 2016-2017 was up over 140 million U.S. dollars compared with the same period of the last fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Commerce on Friday.

During the period, the total border trade reached 4.971 billion U.S. dollars while that of the same period of last fiscal year was 4.824 billion U.S. dollars.

There are 15 border trade zones in Myanmar which link China, Thailand, India and Bangladesh.

Of them, Muse border trade zone had the maximum trade value before the armed clashes between the military and ethnic armed forces which took place in northern Shan state in late November where the trade zone lies.

The Muse border trade during the nine months' period reached 3.408 billion U.S. dollars while that of the same period of the last fiscal year was 3.653 billion U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, the ministry has plans not only to upgrade the trade facilities of the country's border trade gates in order to meet ASEAN standards but also to open new border trade gates for promoting trade.

source: Xinhua