China and Russia will create a joint venture to build the cable-railway bridge across the Heilongjiang River

Almaty. April 21. Silkroadnews – China and Russia have reached a preliminary agreement on the joint company to be established at the end of June 2016 to start preparations to construct the cable-railway bridge across the Heilongjiang River (Amur), People’s Daily reports.

According to the transport control department of Heilongjiang province, this agreement was reached in the course of negotiations on the realization of the project held recently in Harbin with participation of the head of transport department of Heilongjiang Province Yu Fei and Deputy Chairman of the Amur region government Marina Dedyushko.

The proposal to build the bridge across the Heilongjiang River was put forward by the government of the Amur region back in 1988. However, for various reasons, the project got delayed for 27 years.

In September 2015, China and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction, operation, maintenance and servicing of the cable-railway across the Heilongjiang river between Heihe (Heilongjiang province) and Blagoveshchensk (the Amur region).

The analysts believe such a bridge shall facilitate the foreign trade growth in Heilongjiang province and also provide more opportunities for development for the Russian economy being affected by the Western sanctions and declining oil prices.

Heihe and Blagoveshchensk are separated by the Heilongjiang river only, they are known as the “Twin Cities” with the 700m minimum distance between them. Yet, there is still no bridge connecting two cities, which have a negative impact on transportation of passengers and cargo.