How life has changed along China’s border with South-East Asia
What was once a sieve is now secure
In a dusty watermelon field in Ruili, on China’s frontier, a farmer leans on his hoe and looks south. He can hear chickens clucking in Myanmar, on the other side of the border. He would once have been able to see the country where he was born and where he still has family and land. Now, though, a steel wall blocks his view. It is topped with barbed wire, cameras and speakers, which occasionally blare out a warning for trespassers to stay away.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “New frontier”
From the March 18th 2023 edition
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