First Chinese freight train crosses new bridge into Russia (VIDEO)

The first Chinese cargo train to cross into Russia via a new bridge over the Amur River arrived on Friday, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), as cited by TASS news agency.

The 2,209-meter (1.4 mile) structure links the settlement of Nizhneleninskoe in the Jewish Autonomous Region, in Russia’s Far East, with the city of Tongjiang in China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province.

The rail link opened in November 2022, and since then Russian trains have carried more than 1.6 million tons of cargo to China via the bridge. Checkpoints are now operating round-the-clock, allowing a significant increase in traffic.

Building the crucial piece of infrastructure was part of an agreement struck between Russia and China in 2008. The RDIF financed over 70% of the construction of the Russian part of the bridge, and the Russian state development corporation VEB.RF, the state-run company Russian Railways, and Chinese firms, have also invested in the project.

The launch of the bridge has created a new logistical route between Russia and China, reducing the distance of cargo transport to China's northern provinces by 700 kilometers (435 miles).

The transport corridor is expected to provide a boost to Russia-China trade, and ensure the development of new projects in the Jewish Autonomous Region and Chinese border provinces.

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