Construction on the first closed trade zone on the Chinese Russian border began Wednesday.
 
The trade zone covers 4.53 square kilometers on the Sino-Russian border. Nearly a quarter, or 1.53 sq. km., is located in Suifenhe City in China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province.

Sun Lichun, vice-mayor of Suifenhe, said the trade zone integrates trade with business, logistics, recreation and tourism. Residents from both countries can enter the zone for trade operation by showing their ID cards.

Suifenhe is a major channel of Sino-Russian trade and China's largest port connecting northeast China with the Japan sea. The city's import and export value totaled US$1.91 billion last year, the highest of all border areas. The foreign trade from Suifenhe has accounted for one-third of the total trade in Heilongjiang for the past six years.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2004)