Russia and China have outlined plans to establish logistics hubs in Russia’s border towns to boost bilateral trade, a development reported by RIA News. The arrangement signals a strategic effort to modernize cross-border supply chains and integrate rail, road, and port facilities to support higher volumes of goods moving between the two nations.
A Chinese firm, Xuan Yuan, in collaboration with its Russian partners, intends to construct a cargo transshipment complex in the Jewish Autonomous Region. The project targets the handling of oil, chemicals, and other bulk freight, with leadership from the company foreseeing an annual transport throughput of around 10 million tons as part of a broader push to streamline regional logistics and attract related investments.
Beyond that, an agreement was reached with Amur Region to build a conveyor system linking Heihe in China and Blagoveshchensk in Russia. The planned route is designed to export up to 15 million tons of Russian coal each year, reinforcing the area’s role as a critical node in the power and energy supply chain while providing greater access to Asian markets.
Progress is underway in Zabaikalsk and Nizhneleninsky, with ambitions to triple turnover in Zabaikalsk to approximately 30 million tons annually. Realizing this scale will require capital investment estimated at 8 billion rubles, with a logistics terminal scheduled for Nizhneleninsky at a cost around 2 billion rubles. The projects aim to anchor a network of facilities that can support higher throughput, reduce congestion, and improve reliability for both commercial shippers and state-backed initiatives.
China’s interest in developing this corridor aligns with the broader One Belt One Road framework, aiming to knit together infrastructure, trade, and economic activity across Eurasia. The enhanced corridor is expected to generate employment opportunities, stimulate housing and urban development in nearby communities, and strengthen regional economic resilience through more efficient movement of energy and industrial goods.
In mid-September, officials in China underscored Russia’s pivotal role in shaping a new global economic model, signaling continued emphasis on deepening regional integration and long-term cooperation that could reshape logistics, manufacturing, and energy supply chains across northern Asia.
Earlier discussions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs touched on the possibility of Chinese vessels accessing the Northern Sea Route, a move that could shorten shipping times and open additional lanes for trade. This consideration reflects ongoing interest in Arctic logistics, with potential implications for maritime traffic, port throughput, and regional economic activity as global demand evolves.