Cargo Traffic Via Russian-Chinese Border Hits Record High in January

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Cargo traffic through the Zabaykalsk-Manchuria border crossing on the Russian-Chinese border reached record levels in January, with the countries' mutual trade expected to grow even more amid easing of COVID-19 restrictions in China, the Russian Consulate General in Harbin said on Saturday.

"The start of the year saw a record-high volume of cargo traffic through the Russian-Chinese border. According to [China] Railway Harbin [Group], around 1.5 million tonnes of cargo were transported through the Zabaykalsk-Manchuria railway border crossing during the first month of 2023, which is by 82.9% more than in January last year," the consulate general said on Telegram.

The consulate added that coal exports from Russia to China had doubled over the past month compared to January 2022, with around 10,000 tonnes of coal delivered daily to the Manchuria railway station. The supplies of Russia's fertilizers via the border crossing had increased by 41% ahead of the start of the agricultural season, the mission added.

Mutual trade between the two countries is expected to grow even more amid China's recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions, according to the general consulate.

The Zabaykalsk-Manchuria railway border crossing is the largest transport hub on the Russian-Chinese border, operating 24/7 despite the unstable epidemic situation in the Chinese regions near the border. Last year, as many as 15 million tonnes of cargo crossed this checkpoint.

In December, China's government started to gradually ease its "zero tolerance" policy toward the COVID-19 pandemic, which had been the strictest in the world for almost three years. It had negative impact on global economy, supply chains, tourism and intergovernmental exchanges. Easing restrictions is expected to boost China's trade with foreign partners.