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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
HARBIN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) — Harbin, known as the "Ice Capital of China," and Russia's Murmansk celebrated the 10th anniversary of their sister-city relationship by unveiling a jointly created ice sculpture called "Inspiration."
The unveiling ceremony for the memorial sculpture took place on Tuesday, January 6, in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, northeast China. It was attended by Harbin Deputy Mayor Li Mian, Murmansk Deputy Mayor Andrei Kostin, Murmansk City Council Chairman of the Committee for Economic Development and Tourism Andrei Varich, and representatives of other relevant government agencies from both cities.
The ice sculpture was developed jointly by the two cities. It skillfully integrates a swan, symbolizing Harbin, and an element of the icebreaker "Lenin," symbolizing Murmansk. The sculpture also depicts winter landscapes of the two cities, as well as waves and ice floes, reminiscent of the Songhua River in Harbin and the ice-free port in Murmansk. At the top of the sculpture is an ice symbol with the number "10," symbolizing the ten-year friendship between the two cities.
According to the Harbin City Hall, the unveiling of the commemorative ice sculpture officially marked the beginning of a series of events dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Harbin and Murmansk.
The two cities have already signed a cooperation plan for 2026, covering projects in many areas such as government exchanges, economy and trade, culture, education and sports, which are intended to further promote comprehensive and in-depth high-level exchanges and cooperation between the two cities.
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, A. Kostin noted that the prospects for cooperation between Murmansk and Harbin remain clear. "We already have experience with Harbin in healthcare, education, and culture. We have ongoing exchanges," he stated.
He highlighted the growing tourist flow between the two cities. "We certainly predict that tourist flow, especially in the winter, will only increase thanks to the friendship between our sister cities growing stronger year after year," he added.
As a reminder, the unveiling of the commemorative ice sculpture took place on the sidelines of the 2026 International Ice and Snow Economy Fair, which is taking place from January 6 to 8 in Harbin. Diplomatic representatives accredited in China, representatives of foreign cities, and officials from leading enterprises from more than 20 countries and regions participated in the fair.
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