By staff reporter YU JIE & WANG NAN

The picturesque mountain city of Suifenhe retains its snowfall in summer, making it an out-of-season skiing destination.

The scenic mountain city of Suifenhe in Heilongjiang Province is known within China for its abundance of snow. Shrouded in white five months out of the year, the city boasts the Suifenhe National Forest Park Ski Area, a summer skiing and tourist destination. But situated only 210 kilometers away is Vladivostok; growing cultural and economic ties with neighboring Russia are changing the area for the better. Besides a notable population increase, from 20,000 to 100,000 in the past decade, cross-cultural influence has improved the Suifenhe's diversity and promises to continue economic growth.

Historical Foes Become Modern Friends

Sino-Russian business negotiations have bolstered both economies. One third of Suifenhe's population is involved in border trade.

Current cooperation belies the tumultuous beginning to Sino-Russian relationships. In June of 1899, the Russia-controlled Dongqing Railway pushed across the border into the desolate Chinese frontier. By the mid 19th century, Tsarist Russia had forced the Aihui and Beijing treaties on China in a bid to annex Chinese territory in Heilongjiang Province. But out of that turbulent time came a Russian presence that would eventually turn friendly. With the acceleration of Sino-Russian ties in recent years, the scope of bilateral cooperation has expanded on both sides of the border.

The influx of Russian tourists to Suifenhe demonstrates an overall increase of cross-border tourism. In 2002, the number of Chinese and Russian travelers approached 1 million.

Ornate Russian architecture and a presence in the local cuisine are reminders of that era, and today Suifenhe exudes rich cultural ambience. Ballets performed by Russian troupes are staged regularly and with the increase of Russian tourists, the city has launched sightseeing and vacationing routes to some medium-sized and big cities, such as Harbin, Dalian, Beijing and Shanghai. Today, Suifenhe's economic situation is continually improving and its education system is the most advanced in the region. In 2002, travelers between the two nations numbered almost 900,000, and that figure has been mounting since China improved access for foreign tourists. Meanwhile, the recovering Russian economy has been boosting consumer spending, bringing merchants from as far as Moscow to Suifenhe to trade over the border.

Robust Border Trade

During a recent visit to Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the Sino-Russian relationship "has reached a very high level." To those living along the border, this enhanced relationship is evident in everyday life.

Frequent trains shuttling between China and Russia make trans-national travel inexpensive and convenient.

To facilitate trade with Russia, Suifenhe has invested 600 million yuan in infrastructure construction, including water, heat and power supply, road and communications. Land and sea transportation has been implemented to reach Vladivostok, Nakhodka, the coast of the Sea of Japan, Southeast Asia and the U.S. Additionally, the city has lowered custom charges and simplified procedures. These measures have increased cargo volume handled by Suifenhe's port annually. Since 1999 it has accounted for more than 70 percent of the provincial total.

One third of Suifenhe's population is involved in border trading, and merchants from around the world do business here. Since the Suifenhe port was opened in 1992, Russian visitors and buyers have become a common sight in the city, boosting local commerce and tourism. Russia has great demand for China's light industrial products, and China buys Russian timber and chemical fertilizer. Given Russia's abundant resources and China's huge labor force, the two see tremendous potential for cooperation in the fields of manufacture and processing.

Owing to thriving border trade, Suifenhe is the most affluent city in its province. In 2002, Suifenhe port dealt with 5.38 million tons of import and export with Russia, a 28.4 percent rise from the previous year, and one tenth of the national total. The small frontier city is emerging as a modern trade force in Northeast Asia.