Facilities connectivity in eastern regions of China and Russia and the “Belt and Road” initiative

Enhancement of facilities connectivity and construction of the necessary infrastructure is an important element of the “Belt and Road” Initiative. The lack of facilities connectivity is seen as a major impediment to the development of Sino-Russian trade and other spheres of cooperation between the two countries. This paper provides an overview of the current approaches to the concept of facilities connectivity in the context of Sino-Russian cooperation within the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative. The author examines the progress in the construction of transport infrastructure aimed at improving the facilities connectivity in China’s and Russia’s eastern regions over the past five years. A specific focus is made on such large-scale projects as the construction of China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor, the construction of bridges (for example, Tongjiang Railway Bridge and Heilongjiang Bridge), the construction of the Harbin-Russia International Freight Line and so on. The case of Heilongjiang Province in China is described in the article to illustrate the benefits of the “Belt and Road” initiative for regions along the border of China and Russia. Greater facilities connectivity and establishment of cross-border economic cooperation zones are expected to enhance the economic prosperity of these regions. The author proposes recommendations regarding further development of the railway and other transport connections between Russia and China and shows how these improvements could help both countries to efficiently meet the goals of the “Belt and Road” initiative and achieve mutually beneficial results.