Golden Link to China

24.05.2007 (22:45)

Russia and China expressed an intention to expand cooperation in view of the transport infrastructure development. Igor Levitin, RF Minister of Transport, informed on it during a briefing devoted to the results of the eleventh session of the Russian-Chinese Subcommittee on cooperation in the field of transport of the Commission on preparation of regular meetings of the heads of the governments of Russia and China. I.Levitin underlined the importance of movement of trains recommencement through Mahalino - Khungchung border crossing in a short term - in view of the conclusion of necessary contracts of OAO RZD and OAO «Zolotoe Zveno» (Golden Link).

«Now its opening is being postponed because OAO RZD and «Zolotoe Zveno» have not regulated property ownership», - said the Minister of Transport. - «After this question is solved, border crossing will start operating». To remind, OAO «Zolotoe Zveno» was created in 1992 for construction and operation of the Russian-Chinese sector of the rail line between Kamyshovaya and Khungchung stations (province Jilin, China). The line is 20.3 km long.

As I.Levitin informed, during the session parties discussed the projects of new border crossings construction and have charged the working group on railway transport with further discussion of Nizhneleninskoye-Tunzyan border crossing construction.

The Minister of Transport noted that the key point of these projects discussion is a choice of places for the new check points' construction. The reason is that each of Russian regions adjoining to China, tries to prove that it has cargo base for these check points.

«Finally, it can result in appearance of a large quantity of ineffective check points», said I.Levitin. - «As for Zolotoe Zveno, it actually has a reserve freight base - coal and ore which will be supplied due to our agreement with Yakutia after the end of construction of the line Tommot-Kerdem and will be carried to the Far Eastern Railway via the Baikal-Amurskaya railway (BAM). The cargo follows to the port of Vanino. However due to the impossibility of passing additional volumes through Kuznetsovsky tunnel, the cargo can to be transported to China via Mahalino».

I.Levitin also informed that effective measures were taken for arrangement and functioning of check points last year. In 2006, 33 million 687 thousand tons of cargoes and 6 million 78 thousand people passed through the Russian-Chinese border. In comparison with 2005 the cargo transportation increased by 18.4 %, and the volume of passenger traffic decreased by 0.2%. In January-March 2007, 8 million 728 thousand tons of cargoes and 1 million 3 thousand people passed through check points. In comparison with the similar period of the last year dynamics made 13.7% and -10.2% respectively.

The sides agreed to organize a joint inspection trip to study a situation with arrangement of check points on the Russian-Chinese border in the first half of 2008 and actual mode of their operation.

The Russian side highlighted that passenger transportation through the check point Olochi - Shivey will be organized after the end of its arrangement.

Both sides expressed an intention to expand cooperation in the field of transport infrastructure. «Not so long ago we made presentation of transport projects which we are realizing in collaboration with the Investment Fund», - informed I.Levitin. – «Of course, our Chinese colleagues are interested in these projects, however only joint automobile and railway projects seem to be the most realistic. We are working in this direction at the moment, and both parties are engaged in the development of the mutual transport corridors on their own territory».

The Minister of Transport pointed out that the arrangement is reached to accelerate preparation of offers on the conclusion of intergovernmental agreements on the reconstruction of the automobile bridge at the check point Poltavka – Dunin on the river Razdolnaya and the construction of automobile bridges at the check point Pokrovka - Loguhe on Amur and in the area of Blagoveshchensks and Heyhe

By Ekaterina Glazunova
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