The United Wa State Army (UWSA) is spending billions of reminbi to improve its ancient road system in its controlled territory along the Sino-Burmese border, according a UWSA high official.

His statement was in response to SHAN’s interview over the New Light of Myanmar report that was published yesterday.

According to the report, deputy border affairs minister Maj-Gen Zaw Win had made a 3 day visit, 16-18 August, to the Special Region #2, as the territory under the UWSA control is officially designated by the Burmese government.

On the second day of his visit, he met the Wa leadership led by Vice President Xiao Minliang in the Wa capital Panghsang, where he presented it with 30 million kyat ($ 34,285) allowance plus 66 million kyat ($ 75,428) to buy rice, says the report.

“He also gave us 400 million kyat ($ 457,000) to renovate the roads,” said the official. “We have already spent billions of yuan for the road project.”

The Wa have been building, under the supervision of Thai engineering consultants, a 4 lane road between Panghsang, Mongpawk and Hotao in the south and Panghsang-Mongmai-Namteuk in the north. The Panghsang-Manghseng road project in the west is due to begin after the monsoons, according to New Light.