An international cooperative demonstra- tion zone is to be built in Northeast China’s Jilin Province to boost cross-border cooperation in the region, according to a press conference held in Beijing on May 21.
　　The zone, named Tumen River Area (Hunchun) International Cooperation Demonstration Zone, is located in Hunchun, a port bordering Russia and DPRK. It covers 90 square kilometers and includes four functional zones in terms of foreign trade cooperation, international industrial cooperation, Sino-DPRK and Sino-Russia economic cooperation.
　　The zone is centered in Hunchun facing Northeast Asia, with the city group ChangchunJilin-Tumenjiang as the supportive base. It will function as a major transportation hub and a logistics center in Northeast Asia. Also, in future, the livable and ecological city clusters with prosperous economy and enjoyable environment will be a growth pole of Northeast China.
　　“The construction of the zone will further the development and opening-up in Tumenjiang River area, accelerate the revitalization of the old industrial base in Northeast China, and upgrade the opening-up in China’s border areas,” said Shen Xujian, deputy regional development director under the National Development and Reform Commission, adding that “It will promote China’s economic and trade cooperation with neighbor countries, especially with DPRK and Russia.”
　　The zone is to mainly promote trade, logistics and cross-border tourism, with the priority in a transportation network facing the Northeast Asia. It is expected to serve as a model for international cooperation in Northeast Asia and for the development and opening-up of border areas in China.
　　The construction of the zone will be aided by various supportive policies, including those related to fiscal, industrial layout and investment, land usage, infrastructure construction, finance, customs supervision and port construction, technology innovation and talent cultivation, customs clearance facilitation and special funds.
　　The Tumen River in Hunchun straddles the borders of China, Russia and the DPRK. In April of this year, the Chinese government announced that it has approved the establishment of the demonstration zone.
　　It can date back to 1992, when China, Russia, DPRK, ROK, and Mongolia jointly initiated the Tumen River Region Cooperation and Development Project.
　　In 2009, the State Council approved and implemented the outline for the development of Tumen River Region, with Changchun-Jilin-Tumen as the development and opening-up pilot zone. Progress has been made on regional cooperation and development in Tumenjiang River region in the past 3 years.
　　The construction of Rason Economic and Trade Zone jointly developed and managed by China and DPRK was launched in June 2011. China-Russia Channel of road and port was implemented. Great Channel between China and Mongolia are under speedy construction. Active progress has been also made in the construction of Changchun-Jilin-Tumenjiang Development and Opening-up Pilot Zone. Changchun and Jilin are integrated in terms of urban planning, investment attraction, infrastructure construction and information sharing.
　　“Hunchun plays a better role as a window to the outside. It has started the establishment of Russia, Japan, ROK and Jigang Industrial Park, and has a good foundation for the development of export-oriented economy,” said Chen Weigen, Vice Governor of Jilin Province.
　　The railway between Hunchun and Kameshovaya of Russia will resume operations in June. A passage that connects Jilin with Busan and Niigata via Zarubino was developed. It then will take only 1.5 days from Jilin to Busan, and 22 hours to Niigata. In the past, it took 5 days and 3.5 days respectively. The main part of the reconstruction of Won Jing Ri-Rajin port road was finished. Commodities can now be transported from Hunchun to Shanghai (Ningbo) Port via Rajin Port, charting an economical and convenient sea transportation channel for northeast China.
　　“In the future, we will reinforce infrastructure constructions, establish international logistics system and introduce more foreign direct investment,”said Li Longxi, Mayor of Yanbian where Hunchun is located.