Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, October 16 (Xinhua) — Raohe County, located in Shuangyashan City in eastern Heilongjiang Province (northeast China), on the western bank of the Ussuri River, borders across the river with the city of Biqing in Russia's Khabarovsk Krai. A month has passed since China introduced a unilateral visa-free policy for Russian holders of ordinary passports, and during this time, numerous Russian tourists have entered through the Raohe checkpoint to enjoy the county's ecological and cultural attractions, with their cross-border travel experiences becoming increasingly diverse.
According to available information, it is possible to make a one-day trip to Raohe and back in one day by ferry, which takes just 10 minutes to the opposite bank.
According to the news portal news.cnr.cn, since the beginning of the year, 43,000 travelers have entered through the Raohe checkpoint, of which 28,000 people, or 60 percent, were Russian citizens.
"Following the introduction of the visa-free regime, the number of tourists entering through the Raohe checkpoint continues to grow, increasing by 30 percent compared to the same period last year," said Yang Jinbao, deputy head of the Raohe checkpoint's operations unit.
According to him, border service officers conducted preliminary work to explain the relevant policy to Russian tourists, escorting them through border control smoothly. Furthermore, depending on passenger traffic, police forces were increased at the checkpoint and additional corridors were opened.
Many Russian tourists came specifically for the local cuisine and physical therapy. Larisa, a tourist with shoulder pain, came to Raohe on the recommendation of friends to experience traditional Chinese medicine. This time, she came with her friend Tanya specifically to try traditional Chinese massage and acupuncture. "I will recommend traditional Chinese medicine to more people," she said, having experienced the effectiveness of traditional Chinese physical therapy.
Tourist Olya and her friend focused more on the gastronomic experience. They sampled dumplings, sweet and sour pork, and cold appetizers, and also ordered Peking duck for dinner.
Olya thinks Chinese food is delicious, enjoyed learning how to use chopsticks from the locals, and now uses them quite confidently. "There's Chinese food in Russia, too, but it's not as authentic as in China, and I'll be coming back often," she added.
To better serve Russian tourists, some local businesses, including restaurants and clothing stores, have already posted signs in Russian.
The hotel industry in Raohe is also following this trend. Jiang Zhenyu, General Manager of the Midu Hotel in Raohe, reported that during the first visa-free holidays following the introduction of the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, the hotel welcomed over 1,200 tourists, three times more than during the same period last year. In response, the hotel sent some of its staff to learn Russian and organized training sessions for them. In addition to the local menu featuring signature fish dishes, the hotel has introduced popular Russian dishes such as caviar, grilled meats, and fried chicken. Plans include creating themed rooms, themed restaurants, and bars in Russian style, as well as inviting Russian troupes to perform song and dance performances.
In recent years, Raohe County has placed significant emphasis on developing its tourism industry. Before the aforementioned vacation, a trip to Khabarovsk was organized to thoroughly study the needs of Russian tourists. To meet the growing demand for border tourism, Raohe County is improving its service quality by constructing three well-equipped campsites.
Wu Haiwei, Deputy Director of the Raohe County Tourism Development Center, announced that in the future, the county will develop a standard tourism development plan for the entire county, promote the interaction of tourist routes, and integrate various resources to provide incoming tourists, most likely Russian ones, with a higher-quality cultural and tourist experience. This will allow Raohe not only to attract visitors but also encourage them to come more often and stay longer. -0-
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