Yunnan is located in the southwest of China, bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Export to Myanmar and Laos is an important source of cement demand in Yunnan, especially in the southern part of Yunnan. A cement company in southwest
Yunnan told China Cement Network that the company sold 400000-500000 tons of cement to Myanmar in 2023, and the export was slightly hindered by the recent war in Myanmar.
Although the company did not disclose too much, it conservatively estimated that the cement exported to Myanmar accounted for more than 30% of its cement output, based on the 310-day operation of the clinker production line and the clinker production capacity of the company. Considering the situation of off-peak kiln shutdown, power limitation and production limitation, the actual proportion of cement exports may be more. In the case of export obstruction caused by
war, the cement sold to Myanmar can still occupy such a high proportion, and the importance of export to the demand for cement in Southwest Yunnan is self-evident.
From January 10 to 11, with the mediation and facilitation of the Chinese side, the Myanmar Army held peace talks with representatives of Kokang, De'ang and Rakhine, three civilian armed groups in northern Myanmar, in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, and reached a formal ceasefire agreement.
At present, it is not clear whether the agreement reached by the two sides is a truce only in northern Myanmar or a ceasefire throughout Myanmar. But what is certain is that both sides will try their best to restrain the grass-roots forces and ensure that their military operations will not threaten the safety of China's key investment projects and personnel in Myanmar. In this process, China will certainly play an active role in protecting the hard-won peaceful situation.
The war will cause serious damage to infrastructure such as roads and bridges, as well as civilian houses; after a ceasefire is reached, post-war reconstruction may soon be put on the agenda. Although the parties to the war have reached a formal ceasefire agreement under the mediation of the Chinese side, the restoration of facilities damaged by the war and the restoration of normal social life as soon as possible will be conducive to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. Cement enterprises
located in southwest Yunnan should provide support for this cement demand after the armistice, raise awareness of the importance of achieving lasting peace, give full play to their advantages and do a good job in supply.
