From July 3 to 4, during his visit to Russia, President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly signed the Joint Statement on Further Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination. The statement emphasized that the two countries will promote the implementation of transport and infrastructure projects, including the Tongjiang——Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge.

In midsummer July, at the construction site of the Tongjiang China-Russia Railway Bridge, track laying on the deck of the Chinese-built main bridge is underway. In June this year, track laying on the deck of the Chinese-built main bridge was in full swing, and the laying of ballastless track slabs for the 16 steel truss spans of the Chinese-built main bridge is expected to be completed in mid-October. Since construction began in February 2014, the main works undertaken by the Chinese side have been basically completed, while the Russian side is carrying out foundation construction for the piers and bridge body. Pier No. 4 is expected to be handed over to the Chinese side before November for main-span girder erection, with overall completion in June next year.

Aligning with the “Belt and Road” initiative, the bridge serves as a bridge of friendship, opportunity and development. Tongjiang City has consistently regarded the bridge as the engine of its opening-up to Russia and the lifeline of its economic rise, and has adhered to using the bridge to build platforms and cluster industries. Following the “one bridge spanning two zones” model, the city has been pressing ahead with the construction of domestic and overseas parks, launched the expansion of the Tongjiang Economic Development Zone, planned the construction of eight import and export processing bases, established the first public bonded warehouse in Jiamusi City, and upgraded and opened the exhibition and sales center of the Tongjiang Border Residents' Mutual Trade Zone. At the same time, it has coordinated with the Russian side to advance the construction of the Russian bridgehead economic zone——the Amur Comprehensive Park and the steel structure park invested in Birobidzhan by Tongjiang Jinri Company. The Russian project has been included in the Russian federal government's “Amur——Xinggang” cross-border development zone plan.

The bridge has attracted many businesses to extend olive branches. Since the beginning of the year, more than 60 well-known domestic enterprises, listed companies and business associations, including Guochu Energy and Chemical, China Forestry Group, Panjiang Logistics and Tianjin Yangbeilu Timber City, have taken a favorable view of Tongjiang's development prospects, conducted on-site inspections in Tongjiang and matched projects. Some enterprises have signed strategic cooperation agreements with Tongjiang City.

The bridge is changing the pattern of economic development. Once the Tongjiang Bridge is completed, the throughput capacity of Tongjiang Port can reach 21 million tons, adding a new railway freight corridor to Russia for China. Centering on the bridge, Tongjiang City will focus on implementing the “128” strategy: opening an international intermodal transport corridor linking Russia and Europe, building a cross-border interactive cooperation platform for the “two zones,” cultivating eight major import and export industry clusters such as timber, energy and chemical, garments and light textiles, and electromechanical assembly, and building an important processing base for import and export products in Heilongjiang Province.