China-Myanmar project brings tangible benefits to local people

A major China-Myanmar oil and gas project is celebrating its 2nd anniversary, with authorities suggesting the people of Myanmar have been benefiting a lot from the massive project.

The China-Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipeline Project, starting from Kyaukpyu in the south of Myanmar to Ruili in China, includes a nearly 800-kilometer long natural gas pipeline and a 770-km crude oil pipeline.

Made Island in Kyaukpyu is the starting point of the China-Myanmar crude oil pipeline, where people in the past had to spend their lives without clean drinking water and electricity.

Apart from the pipeline, a reservoir with a capacity of 650-thousand cubic meters, as well as a water-supply system, have also been built on the island.

A reservoir with a capacity of 650,000 cubic meters built by the China-Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipeline Project, seen here on March 25, 2019, gives the locals on Made Island convenient access to drinking water. [Photo: China Plus]

The facility has given the locals convenient access to drinking water, rather than waiting for rainfall.

Hong Hanbo, with Made Island Operation Center, says the locals were a priority for them from the beginning.

"When we were designing the capacity of the reservoir, we also thought about supplying water for the locals. I think the changes are mainly in two aspects. First, the locals can get clean drinking water because the water supplied to them is purified and disinfected. Second, because there are a line of water pipes attached to the pipeline, some villagers can get drinking water at home by joining a hose."

Towns and villages in other states along the route of the Oil and Gas Pipeline Project have also seen significant changes in the past few years.

The village of Thin Ta Ya in Mandalay State, which is over 500 km away from Made Island, used to get by without electricity.

With the help of the Oil and Gas Pipeline Project, the villagers will soon experience a different life through electricity.

China-Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipeline Project staff installing electrical equipment for the village of Thin Ta Ya in Mandalay State in Myanmar on March 20, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

Kyaw Shwe is the chair of the Electricity Supply Committee set up by the villagers.

"In late May, 2018, the workers with the project transported the equipment to our village. Almost all the villagers were very excited, cheering for being able to have electricity supply soon. Of course, when people who didn't know what was going on came to ask me, I would tell them it is the brightness that the Oil and Gas Pipeline Project sends us and the Project will further promote the development of other projects in our village."

A primary school in the village of Zi Pwa in Magway State, just a few kilometers away from the oil and gas pipeline, is also one of the beneficiaries.

The students will soon be taking classes in a bright classroom inside a brand new building, which has been financed through the Oil and Gas Pipeline Project.

A new teaching building financed through the Oil and Gas Pipeline Project at Zi Pwa Primary School in Magway State in Myanmar, seen here on March 20, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

Tin San is a teacher at the school.

"There are over 80 students in our school but the previous classroom was too small to accommodate them, so some of them had to have classes outside. The children simply couldn't do it when it was raining. Luckily, the person in charge of the Oil and Gas Pipeline came to ask about our problems and decided to help us build a new teaching building after getting to know what a hard time the children were having."

The China-Myanmar Oil and Gas Pipeline Project includes 242 aid projects in Myanmar, with other areas of support including education, medical care, road construction and telecommunication.

Donations have also been made to regions hit by natural disasters.

Initiated in 2010, the oil pipeline was put into operation in April of 2017.