These decisions are aimed at creating better conditions for mutual exchanges, trade and economic contacts between Russia and China, for the development of a reliable and stable year-round transport connection. It will help preserve and develop the historical ethnic, family, cultural, humanitarian and economic ties between the citizens of Russia and China.
Reference
Submitted by the Transport Ministry
An Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the joint construction of a bridge across the Amur River (Heilongjiang) to connect Blagoveshchensk and Heihe (hereinafter, the Agreement) was signed in Moscow on 26 June 1995.
Under the Agreement, the cross-border bridge is planned near the village of Kanikurgan, 7.5 km from Blagoveshchensk in Russia, and the village of Chanfatun, 7 km from Heihe in China.
The cross-border bridge will be built in two phases, the first involving the construction of a road bridge, and the second, a railway bridge.
The bridge's 1,000 metre main body will span the first pier on the Russian side, on the island of Verkhny Kanikurgansky, and the first one on the Chinese bank. The width of the main bridge will provide for two-lane traffic at the first stage. The bridge’s clear headway will be 17 metres at the highest navigable water level.
The governments of the Amur Region and the Heilongjiang Province have agreed to share the costs of the bridge construction.
The parties also agreed to set up a Russian-Chinese joint venture, which will sign a concession agreement for the construction and further operation of the cross-border bridge.
Pursuant to the agreements reached, the government of Heilongjiang Province has set up a limited liability company for the development and construction of the bridge across the Amur River (Heilongjiang).
In 2014, the Amur Region government set up the company Most (Bridge).
These two companies will establish a parity venture for the project.
However the organisational and financial model of the bridge project has changed over the past few years.
Therefore, a draft Protocol amending the Agreement has been approved by the signing of a Directive.
These decisions are aimed at creating better conditions for mutual exchanges, trade and economic contacts between Russia and China, for the development of a reliable and stable year-round transport connection. It will help preserve and develop the historical ethnic, family, cultural, humanitarian and economic ties between the citizens of Russia and China.