Russia-China To Open Border Crossing In 3 Years

JAKARTA - Russian East and Arctic Development Minister Alexei Chekunkov said the new border crossing between Russia and China on Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island in Russia's Khabarovsk region will be operational in the next three years.

"Now we are preparing a roadmap with a concrete date, which will be completed and adopted by the end of the year. And in the next three years, border crossings must be built, operated," Chekunkov said as quoted by ANTARA from Sputnik, Friday, June 7.

On May 16, Russia and China signed an integrated concept for the development of Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island. Under the agreement, border crossing facilities, transportation and logistics, recreation and tourism will be established.

Chekunkov said the agreement regarding the island's joint development was a major achievement and the result of 20 years of work because the two parties did not find the same view.

"Finally we found it. This is an opportunity for Chinese residents to easily come to Khabarovsk and for Khabarovsk residents to easily come to China, buy duty-free goods, enjoy business opportunities," he said.

The minister added that a Chinese company began building an educational center in Russia's Vladivostok satellite city that would prepare Chinese applicants to enter Russian universities.

This is a fairly large project with an investment of 5 million rubles (Rp910 million). Two thousand people will study there permanently, this is very valuable to us because this is an export of educational services," he said.