China's land ports with Russia, Mongolia resume passenger services

HOHHOT, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The land ports of Manzhouli and Erenhot on China's borders with Russia and Mongolia, respectively, saw cross-border passenger traffic on Sunday, three years after the two ports in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region suspended services due to COVID-19 epidemic control measures.

"We are very happy about the resumption of passenger customs clearance at the Erenhot Port, which has greatly facilitated the exchanges between the two peoples," said a Mongolian passenger who gave his name as Enkbold.

Wang Tielin, a border inspection official at the Manzhouli port, said that more than 80 percent of the border inspection police force was dispatched to the front line to ensure the smooth operation of the passenger service.

At the Erenhot port, inbound passengers and freight truck drivers can use their cell phones to declare in advance through an app provided by customs. The customs have also introduced a variety of non-invasive inspection equipment for baggage inspection, which has improved the efficiency of customs clearance and made things more convenient for passengers.

Meanwhile, at the land checkpoint in Hunchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, the first group of Russian passengers entered on Sunday.

"I miss the food and friends here in China. The resumption of passenger services by the Hunchun customs has made it convenient for us to come and go. I will travel to China more often to do business," said Iurov Sergei from Vladivostok, Russia.

Inbound passengers from the two countries are requested to show negative nucleic acid test results taken within 48 hours.