Construction of first railway bridge between China, Russia completed

Beijing, Aug 17 (EFE).- The construction of the first railway bridge that connects China and Russia was completed on Tuesday.

A joint venture between China and Russia built the 7.19-km (4.47 miles) bridge, Chinese state media Global Times reported.

Its construction began in 2014, will connect the cities of Tongjiang, in northeast China, and Nizhneleninskoye, in eastern Russia.

The infrastructure project faced several problems, including the gauge difference in the two countries (1,435 millimeters in China and 1,520 mm in Russia) and harsh winter conditions.

The bridge will shorten the route between Heilongjiang, China’s northernmost province, and Moscow by more than 800 km compared to current rail connections.

Further integration with Russia could contribute to the revitalization of northeast China, whose three provinces – Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning – have often posted below-average economic growth in recent years, the state media said.

China and Russia share a border of more than 4,000 kilometers that has been closed to the vast majority of travelers since last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the movement of goods has continued.

The border separates two territories that are demographically very different.

It includes the Russian Far East, with 6.2 million inhabitants according to the 2010 census, and Northeast China, which is home to more than 100 million people. EFE

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