Port of entry bordering Russia reopens

The first inbound travelers since April 2020 arrive at the highway port of entry in Suifenhe, Heilongjiang province on Wednesday. [Photo by Zhou Yang/For chinadaily.com.cn]

One hundred and fifty-two passengers arrived on Wednesday at the highway port of entry in Suifenhe, a county-level city under Mudanjiang, which borders Russia in Heilongjiang province, local media reported. They were the first inbound travelers to arrive at the port since it resumed customs clearance services on Sunday.

The local government, along with officers at the customs and entry-exit frontier inspection station, had been preparing in advance, the report said.

The Suifenhe highway port was closed on April 7, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a statement released on the Suifenhe government website, no health codes are needed now. Inbound passengers are only required to present a negative nucleic acid test result obtained within 48 hours.

Passengers who report abnormal health conditions on their entry declarations, including fever or other COVID-19 symptoms, will receive antigen tests at the port. Those who test positive but show mild symptoms, or who have no underlying conditions, can choose home quarantine, the statement said.

To ensure smooth services for passengers, the Suifenhe entry-exit inspection station has taken a number of proactive steps. For example, staff members can communicate with the local government and transportation departments in advance to learn about current operation status, passenger flow and personnel types. They can then scientifically arrange their work schedules.

The station also opened a "green channel" for certain passengers in need.

With the resumption of personnel exchanges between China and Russia, Suifenhe will use its geographical advantages for further opening-up, the local government said.