China-Russia Connectivity: First cross-border highway bridge opens to link Heihe, Blagoveshchensk

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02:42

A new bridge linking two countries, two cities, and two economic areas has opened along the Russia-China border. But there's more to it than that, experts say the impressive structure may also change the way future bridges are built while leaving past problems far behind. CGTN's Feng Yilei reports.

With the last two bolts in place, the first highway bridge over China's border river with Russia finally links the "twin" trading cities of Heihe and Blagoveshchensk. This comes after over three decades of proposal, negotiation and hard work.

NIKOLAY ROGOV CHIEF CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER, BLAGOVESHCHENSK BRIDGE "We've solved problems regarding funding, technology and more. Experts from China and Russia have made joint efforts to discuss construction techniques and designs."

It was thanks to an innovative framework that the project moved forward smoothly.

HUANG YUNYONG GENERAL MANAGER, HEILONGJIANG BRIDGE COMPANY "The two countries have set up a joint venture to enable both sides to get loans and implement plans simultaneously, and pay back construction loans with toll fees. It is the most salient feature of the construction of the bridge."

Experts say the attempt may revolutionize the traditional way of building cross-border infrastructure.

FENG YILEI HEIHE, HEILONGJIANG PROVINCE "And the history-making construction will also change the old situation of the twin cities being so close yet so far away. It will reshape regional connectivity that used to depend on the season of the year and the condition of the river."

The link that stays open year round without interruption is expected to be fully complete by the end of the year.

HUANG YUNYONG GENERAL MANAGER, HEILONGJIANG BRIDGE COMPANY "By next year, the bridge will transport an estimated 3 million plus tons of cargo and 1.4 million passengers annually. That is respectively a double and a ten-fold increase in people and cargo turnover."

The Chinese and Russian governments have their sights set on bigger bilateral business potential in the region too.

Development of economic zones are already underway.

MAXIM SERGEEVICH NOZHENKIN DEPUTY MAYOR OF BLAGOVESHCHENSK "After the bridge is open to traffic, we want to turn our city into a port like Vladivostok. Mail we received this month suggests that both sides are promoting such businesses. I really hope there will be more enterprises that can work together with China in terms of transportation and storage."

The bridge, as well as a series of ongoing infrastructure projects in the Sino-Russian border area, are significant parts of the Belt and Road Initiative-all aimed at better strengthening strategic partnerships and breaking regional bottleneck.

For common people, it will mean more desired goods from the neighboring country, and more job opportunities. Feng Yilei, CGTN, Heihe.