For further development of rail links between Russia and China urged President of OAO «Russian Railways» (RZD) Vladimir Yakunin, speaking at the international conference «The Great Silk Road and the Trans-Eurasian zone RAZVITIE — Docking», informs «Pacific Russia».
«With the development of economic and trade relations with Asia-Pacific countries, and especially with China, increased importance of the development of the eastern landfill Russian rail network,» — said Yakunin. One promising direction, he said, is to ensure the transport of containerized cargo from the north-eastern provinces of China, with no direct access to the sea, through the Russian Far East ports for subsequent delivery to the south of China, Japan, South Korea and other countries.
Vladimir Yakunin recalled the signing of an agreement on strategic cooperation between Russian Railways and «Chinese Railways» during the May visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
«Coordinated development of Russian and Chinese railways is essential to the active expansion of foreign economic relations between other countries in Europe and Asia», — he said.
For 2013, it was noted in the report, the volume of traffic through the border crossings in communication with China increased compared with the previous year by 2.2 million tons, amounting to 30.5 million tonnes. Five months of this year the figure has decreased compared to the same period last year by seven per cent, or 821.5 tons, was 11.7 million tons, including exports — 10.8 million tons (down five percent or 557.3 tons), import — 784.5 thousand tons (down 27 per cent, or 287.9 thousand tons).
Head of Railways stressed the importance of increasing the capacity and carrying capacity of the railways and increase international passenger and freight rail transport between Russia and China and the transit through their territories. Will also improve the process of organizing transport and optimize border crossings.