Passenger traffic resumed across Russia-China border in Primorye after 3-year absence
VLADIVOSTOK. Jan 10 (Interfax) - Passenger buses carrying Chinese citizens crossed the Russia-China border in the Primorye Territory following a three-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Four buses - two China-bound ones exiting Russian territory and two entering Russia from China - were cleared by Ussuriysk customs officers at the Kraskino crossing point, the Ussuriysk customs press service said on Tuesday.
The buses that used the Kraskino crossing carried a total of 28 Chinese citizens, ten of whom left Russia for China, and another 18 entered Russian territory.
These Chinese citizens traveled to China for work-related issues or returned home from Russia ahead of the Chinese New Year. Representatives of international organizations crossed the border as well.
At the same time, the border currently remains closed to tourist groups.
The resumption of passenger traffic across the Russia-China border has significantly simplified the work of truck drivers, who no longer have to resort to trailer transfers in order to load goods onto trucks in Chinese territory.
There are four vehicle crossing points - Pogranichny, Kraskino, Poltavka and Tury Rog - on the Russia-China border in the Primorye Territory. These crossings are used by trucks and are able to process 282 transport vehicles traveling in both directions.
As reported, China resumed passenger traffic through the Zabaikalsk-Manchuria border crossing on January 8. Passenger traffic through this crossing point stopped in February 2020 because of Covid-19. Some 50 Chinese citizens crossed the Russia-China border on the first day of the resumption of passenger traffic.
The day before, the Chinese authorities began to gradually lift border crossing restrictions imposed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. From January 8, passengers arriving in China will need a negative test for Covid-19, but they will no longer have to quarantine. On Sunday, the Chinese authorities also resumed issuing ordinary visas and temporary residence permits to foreigners.