The China-Russia economic and trade cooperation has reached a new level. According to a report by TASS on October 14, the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) has approved an agreement on joint construction of a new railway line with China. The agreement stipulates the construction of a second main rail line across the border segment between Ulan-Ude (Outer Barga) and Manzhouli. This new line is expected to enhance freight transfer capacity between the two border stations.
This marks a significant advancement in infrastructure connectivity between China and Russia. The railway spans approximately 10 kilometers, with about 9 kilometers located within Chinese territory, while the section extending into Russia covers only the yard area of the Russian border station. Essentially, it functions as an additional connecting track built upon existing border facilities, primarily aimed at optimizing the flow of import and export goods and improving efficiency in customs clearance and cargo transshipment. Once operational, the project is projected to increase the throughput capacity of the Manzhouli–Outer Barga crossing by 11 million tons by 2030—equivalent to roughly 50 freight train pairs per day.
Manzhouli–Outer Barga is currently the largest railway crossing between China and Russia, handling over 60 percent of China’s rail trade volume with Russia. As of April 22, 2026, the annual cumulative import and export freight volume at the Manzhouli railway port had already reached 6.9346 million tons, setting a historical record for the same period. Over 1,300 China-Europe freight trains passed through the crossing, representing a year-on-year increase of 24.1%. The existing single-track railway is nearing capacity, making the construction of a second main line an urgent necessity to alleviate transportation bottlenecks.
China and Russia operate on different railway gauges—Russia uses a broad gauge of 1,520 mm, while China uses the standard gauge of 1,435 mm—requiring frequent cargo transshipment at the border. The newly constructed line will adopt the 1,435 mm standard gauge, significantly reducing the need for transshipment and enhancing overall logistics efficiency. In fact, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Russia’s “Look East” strategy align closely in spatial planning, resource allocation, and developmental objectives. In 2025, trade volume between Russia’s Far East region and China reached 1.7 trillion rubles, nearly tripled compared to previous levels—a clear manifestation of the tangible benefits arising from strategic alignment.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879036630538240/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.