Russia is a world power and a power in science and technology. There is a broad prospect for China and Russia to cooperate in economic, trade, and science and technology.

Helongjiang Province enjoys unique advantages in the development of cooperation with Russia.

Firstly, Helongjiang has exceptional superiorities in geographic conditions. Located in the northeast border area of China, it covers a total area of 454,000 square kilometers with a frontier line measuring more than 3,000 kilometers with Russia. It has 25 first-class open ports at the State level, the second largest port groups in the country. It enjoys very convenient transportation conditions for export goods with sound transport facilities in water, land and railway.

Secondly, it has easy accounting-settling advantages in trade.

Thirdly, it has superiorities for public relations.

Fourthly it enjoys a unique superiority in the cooperation of science and technology. Fifthly, there is a long-standing humanistic superiority. In history, many former Soviet experts and scholars have lived and worked in the province and they have maintained good non-governmental or private relations with the province. The province is rich in Russian talents and second to none in the research of Russian politics, economics and culture in China.

Sixthly, it has advantages accumulated in the economic and trade cooperation. Since the start of reforms and opening to the outside the world, Helongjiang has engaged in border trade and economic and trade cooperation with Russia. Now the economic and trade cooperation between Helongjiang and Russia has been put on a sound development track through the unremitting efforts by both sides. The annual Harbin Economic and Trade Fair, which has been held for 15 consecutive years, has become a major event for Russia and the East European countries. Facing the world, the trade fair has become an important bridge for China to develop economic and cooperation with the countries in the world.

Through more than 10 years of development, we can say a considerable foundation has been laid on the economic and trade cooperation between Helongjiang and Russia. In a period to come all the advantages in the cooperation between Helongjiang and Russia should be brought into full play. Efforts will be made to create a new situation for opening up to Russia.

One, a breakthrough should be made to boost economic and trade. The sharp increase of export volume to Russia should not be based on traditional trade, which is hard to be achieved. The province should put its economic and trade with Russia into international trade, gradually turning the traditional border trade into standardized international trade.

Two, further enhancing scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation with Russia. The cooperation in science and technology with Russia is an important content for opening to Russia. The main emphasis should be put on the construction of the Sino-Russian Center for the Cooperation in Science and Technology by relying on Harbin University of Technology and the Sino-Russian Cooperative Center for Agricultural Technologies by relying on Helongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences. When being engaged in the construction, the following two aspects will be done well. No 1, to invite excellent talents and engage in the exchanges of science and technology; No 2, improving scientific and technological cooperation with Russia by starting from importing projects.

Three, carrying out labor exports widely. As Russian Far East is short of labor force and Helongjiang rich in labor resources, there exists a broad prospect for the development of labor cooperation. At present Helongjiang has a good start in exporting labor to Russia. The labor forces have made outstanding achievements in the areas of agricultural production, the development of natural resources and product-processing in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Next step Helongjiang should take the Russian Far East as the emphasis for exporting labor.

Fourthly, depending on the advantages to develop tourism in a big way. The development of tourism affects regional economy, especially the borderland provinces like Helongjiang, which are backward areas in development and opening to the outside world. So taking the development of transnational tourism as the main point, we should strengthen all-round cooperation in tourism with Russia. Eyeing the world when developing the tourism markets at home and abroad, special attention should be paid to attracting travelers from the third country or regions from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. While doing a good job in sightseeing, shopping and tourism, a point should be made to the development in tourism realms so that the tourism industry will be turned into an important industry in border areas and an important channel for enlarging development.

By People's Daily Online