Chinese Government provides RMB 137 million grant for 4.3 km Kunlong Bridge Construction Project in Shan State

On March 20, 2018, the Chinese Government and the Government of Myanmar signed an exchange of letters for the 4.3 km Kunlong Bridge Construction Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) reportedly committed RMB 137 million of grant funding for the project.

The construction of the old Kunlong Bridge was initiated in 1964 and completed in 1965 with the assistance of Chinese engineers.

It had an original load capacity of 40 tons but the bridge decking system eventually encountered problems due to old age.

The new bridge project, located on Theinni-Kunlong-Chinshwehaw (Hsenwi -Kunlong-Chinshwehaw) road (49/6 milepost) in Kunlong Township of Lashio District and crossing the Thanlwin River, extends about 4.2 km in total. The length of the bridge is about 286 meters and the linking roads are about 3.9 km.

The 6-span Box Girder type bridge is 12 meters in width, and the approach road is 3.54 km long on the Kunlong side and 435 meters long on the Hsenwi side. It has a load capacity of 75 tons.

Upon completion, the project is expected to improve the transport and logistic conditions between northern Shan state and border areas of China's Yunnan province as well as between other areas in Myanmar.

The project is expected to facilitate the transportation of Myanmar's agricultural and livestock products to China, thereby boosting the rapid development of border trade between the two countries. Yunnan Sunny Road & Bridge Co Ltd is the contractor responsible for project implementation.

Its work is being overseen by Myanmar’s Ministry of Construction. 25 Chinese engineers conducted a project feasibility study between March 22, 2019 and May 15, 2019. A project implementation agreement was then signed on January 18, 2020. Project implementation was temporarily delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, a first batch of Chinese construction workers was not allowed to enter Myanmar to begin project implementation until June 20, 2020.

A second batch of Chinese construction workers was allowed to enter Myanmar — through the Chinshwehaw border checkpoint in Kokang Self-administered Zone in Northern Shan State — on July 2, 2020. The project had achieved a 25% completion rate by December 2021. The project’s originally expected completion date was December 10, 2022.

This date was later pushed out until June 9, 2023. On April 13, 2023, an official closing ceremony was held for the bridge. Then, on June 6, 2023, the bridge achieved a successful inspection, marking the main construction as complete.