Sing-Russian border island opens to tourists
Updated: 2011-07-20 11:25
(Xinhua)
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 Visitors pose for photo at Heixiazi Island on July 20, 2011.[Photo/Xinhua]
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HEIXIAZI ISLAND, Heilongjiang - One hundred and fifty Chinese tourists landed on the Chinese part of Heixiazi Island, a Sino-Russian border island in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, on Wednesday morning.
The 335-square-km island was the last disputed area on the Sino-Russian border, and Chinese were not allowed on the island for more than 80 years.
However, as the result of a recent border settlement agreement between China and Russia, half of the island now belongs to China, with the other half going to Russia.
A border redrawing ceremony was held on the island on October 14, 2008, with 171 square km of the island's territory and nearby waters going to China.
By then, the whole of 4,300-km-long Sino-Russian border was finally clarified.
The peaceful solution was achieved via bilateral concessions after 40 years of negotiations. The peaceful, fair and equal negotiations set a positive example for how to solve international disputes.
The two sides have agreed to cooperatively develop the island into an eco-tourism zone, according to a joint statement issued after a meeting between the Chinese and Russian prime ministers in November 2010.
There are two tours designed for the island, a six-hour ship trip and a land tour.
The ship tour brings visitors from the Chinese and Russian sides to the waters around the island, while the land tour includes major attractions such as a former Russian military camp and a commemorative area for the signing of the 2008 Sino-Russia agreement. Tourists can also visit China's easternmost border guardpost in Wusu County and watch the early sunrise.
"I'm so lucky to be part of the first patch of tourists to visit Heixiazi," said Yu Zaifu from Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, who was the very first one to jump off the bus.
"I have been longing for the moment for quite a long time and today I finally made it," said the man.
"I saw the forests, bush, meadows, marshes and grass ponds here, as well as the border stone and the Russian Church. I will definitely bring my family here," Yu said.
"The island is pretty beautiful. I'm proud to witness its return to China," said Liuliping, 73, the oldest in the tour, and a retired teacher, who is also from Harbin.
"It took me two days to get here by bus. The bumpy journey actually exhausted me. But it was worth it," she said.