China-Myanmar marathon to kick off on December 31

The 2017 China(Ruili)-Myanmar(Muse) International Marathon will take place on December 31 in the border area between Chinese Yunnan Province and Myanmar Shan State, according to a press release in Kunming on Tuesday morning.

Jointly organized by the Chinese and Myanmar sports authorities, the event expected to see around 5,000 participating runners. As of now, around 2,000 Chinese and 500 Myanmar runners have sighed for the races.

Starting at the Jiegao culture square in west Yunnan's Ruili City, the athletes will run into Myanmar through the Ruili and Muse border check points. And after a 4.2 km running in Myanmar, the racers will return to China via another minor border check point.

Around one hundred doctorate holders will be invited to the event. And special prizes will be set for and awarded to Myanmar athletes, including the "paukphaw friendship prize".

"As a China-Myanmar sports and culture cooperative program, the special marathon will enhance friendly exchanges and communications between the two countries." U Seo Paing, Consul General of Myanmar in Kunming, said at the press conference.

By Eric Wang and Liu Jianglin