
The mother, Malun, was a Burmese woman whose family eked out a living making charcoal in Myanmar. Yang also visits the management center to apply for his Burmese employees’ residence permits and work visas, he said, as having legal status gives his workers peace of mind.įive years ago, in the course of my field research in Ruili’s Nansang Village, I met a family of Palaung people, one of the many ethnic minorities who live in this corner of Yunnan. “The salary for Burmese workers in jade processing shops is pretty good,” Yang said, “given that Burmese civil servants over the border only get 300,000 kyat ($240) per month.” Nowadays, the more highly skilled workers command a monthly salary of up to 2,000 yuan ($300). As the business grew, they took on a few Burmese staff.Īlthough Burmese workers have a reputation for being transient, those hired by Yang have stayed at his shop for over seven years, building up their handicraft skills under his tutelage. Originally from Qujing in Yunnan province, he started his business 10 years ago, when he and he wife cut and polished every piece by hand. On a warm day in July 2016, I enjoyed a cup of tea with Yang, the owner of a Ruili jade processing shop. Lastly, Yunnan Minzu University provides vocational training.

The public security department, meanwhile, fills out their information and processes the residence cards. Their documentation is translated into Chinese, while the inspection and quarantine department conducts health checks. The Ruili municipal government has taken a different tack, bringing together a number of departments in charge of public security, hygiene, civil administration, and education under the umbrella of the “Ruili City Service Management Center for Foreign Workers.” Those with Burmese national ID cards and entry permits can apply for their temporary residence and work permits at the center. For instance, the city of Guangzhou has implemented specific management policies for African immigrants, while Yiwu, in Zhejiang province, has targeted policies for Middle Eastern businesspeople. All levels of government have experimented with different ways of handling the issue. Industrial development and the forces of globalization have made China an attractive place for immigrants in recent years, but official policy on managing transnational immigration remains a balancing act. Here, the demand for labor has drawn crowds of young Burmese people over the border in search of jobs. Faced with a depleted number of factory workers across parts of the country, an increasing number of companies have relocated to Ruili in recent years. Ruili City is a hub for wooden furniture manufacturers, jade artisans, and other labor-intensive industries.

#Stand o food 3 mega driver
Later, as they drove out of town, each driver had precariously strapped on another scooter, made in China, to sell in Myanmar! I visited Jiegao Port a couple of years ago and remember seeing a group of around 100 Burmese coming in on scooters. Its import and export trade accounts for more than 60 percent of all trade between Yunnan province and Myanmar.

#Stand o food 3 mega free
Find the first commentary here.Īs a national port and free trade zone, Jiegao Port in Ruili City is China’s largest land port for cross-border trade with Myanmar.
#Stand o food 3 mega series
This is the second commentary in a three-part series on China’s borders and the people who inhabit them.
