China Sees Potential in Vladivostok-Suifenhe-Chita Corridor With Russia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — China sees significant potential in developing the Vladivostok-Suifenhe-Harbin-Manchuria-Chita transit corridor with Russia, Russian Consul General in China's northeastern city of Shenyang Sergey Paltov told Sputnik on Monday.

The corridor, which is part of China's Silk Road Economic Belt strategy, was proposed by the authorities of China's Heilongjiang province bordering Russia before Beijing announced the Silk Road initiative in 2013.

"The Chinese think that such a route can give China more convenient access to Europe and North America via Russian territory, as well as expand the framework of mutually beneficial cooperation," Paltov said.

The route has significant potential, he stressed, adding that it must be linked to other transit corridors in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as link Chinese railways and roads in the Heilongjiang province to Russia's Far East ports of Vladivostok and Nakhodka, as well as other Russian logistical hubs.

"Heilongjiang's trade with Russia has exceeded $21 billion, making up a quarter of all Chinese trade with Russia. What is more, trade with Russia takes up almost a half of all foreign trade in a number of Heilongjiang's cities, which is significantly higher than in other Chinese regions bordering Russia,"

Suifenhe is a city in Heilongjiang. There is a border road between the city and the Russian border town of Pogranichny. Suifenhe is estimated to have a population of 2.8 million people. The city is currently rebuilding its border checkpoint to increase its transfer capability from 12 million metric tons to over 33 million tons.