During his official visit to Russia earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said practical cooperation between the two neighbors continues to thrive, with Russian agricultural products reaching the tables of Chinese households and Chinese cars commonly seen on Russian streets.

This growing connectivity is clearly visible in Heihe, a small city in China's Heilongjiang Province that sits along the border between the two countries. As the closest Chinese city to Russia, Heihe has long been a hub for cross-border activity.

Despite a blanketing and lingering April snow, Heihe is pulsating with cross-border exchanges. Russians crowd the bustling morning markets, fill classrooms on university campuses, and stream through busy transport hubs.

In recent years, the Belt and Road Initiative has augmented the city's ties to Russia, with cross-border medical tourism and educational exchanges flourishing due to increased infrastructure connectivity.

Close connection

Heihe and Blagoveshchensk in Russia's Amur Oblast are the closest border cities between the two countries. Neighboring each other across the Heilongjiang River, a mere 700 meters separates them at their nearest point.

Due to its prime location, Heihe Port handles the bulk of the city's cross-border passenger traffic. According to local border authorities, it is among the busiest ports along the China-Russia frontier, processing around 90,000 travelers in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

The river brings not only proximity but also seasonal enjoyment. Heihe customs official Yang Ming told Xinhua that in winter, when the ice thickens beyond 60 centimeters, a floating bridge would be built across it, allowing buses to make the journey in 14 to 15 minutes. For those in a hurry, hovercrafts are the best option, reaching the other bank in minutes.

The high season comes when the ice is thawed. Around 2,000-2,500 arrivals and departures by boat were recorded daily last summer, she added.

As efficient as the crossing is, the bridge is only open 240 days a year due to seasonal factors. To ensure connectivity remains intact year-round, the Heihe-Blagoveshchensk cross-border highway bridge opened to traffic in 2022.

As the first highway bridge between the two countries, it was built with special steel that can resist corrosion and withstand temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, guaranteeing full-year operations unfazed by rising waters or withering snowstorms.

The enhanced connectivity combined with Heihe's resumption of mutual visa-free group tours with Russia in September 2023 has driven a surge in cross-border travel. According to the border authorities, the city saw 850,180 people cross the border in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 127 percent.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Road Facilities of Russia's Amur Region Svetlana Popova told Xinhua in a recent interview that the highway bridge "tightly connects Heihe with Blagoveshchensk, becoming a symbol of China-Russia friendship."

She said the bridge ensures uninterrupted and smooth transportation between the cities. "The bridge not only connects Heihe and Blagoveshchensk but also brings the hearts of the people from both sides closer together."

Medical tourism

Thanks to convenient border-crossing transportation, medical tourism is flourishing in Heihe. Waves of Russian visitors come to experience traditional Chinese medicine, often pairing their treatments with leisure activities and fueling growth in local tourism.

At the Heihe Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the fragrant aroma of herbs fills the air. Every sign is displayed in both Chinese and Russian.

Hospital head Liu Xuesong told Xinhua that the hospital had established an international clinic last year due to an increasing number of Russian patients.

"We treated around 600 Russian patients in 2024," he said. "Most of them came for physical check-ups and chronic conditions such as neck, shoulder and back pains."

Liu said the patients seek out massages and herbal remedies to restore health. "We prescribed over 300 herbal formulas last year for the Russians. Some even take the herbs back to Russia with them."

Mehdieva Khalida, a 20-year-old Russian student who visited the hospital for a massage, said it was her first time receiving traditional Chinese medical treatment. Her Chinese friend recommended the hospital.

"I feel better after massages. My eyes are brighter," Khalida said. "Massages help me relax my muscles, making my shoulder and neck less painful."

Her friend Lylia said traditional Chinese medicine is a "novel experience" to her, given its scarcity in Russia. She lauded the convenience of visiting Heihe for medical care. "I can also shop and enjoy Chinese cuisine at the same time," she said. "I will recommend the hospital to my friends once I return."

Gong Bo, deputy general manager of Heihe Workers International Travel Agency, said medical tourism has boosted Heihe's tourism sector.

She said that in 2024, the number of border tourists and total spending rose by 128 percent and 125 percent year-on-year, citing data from Heihe's Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism. Gong said the travel agency alone brought over 20,000 tourists to China.

"As a small city, Heihe is packed with hotels," Gong said, noting that chains like Hilton Garden Inn and Ibis have all sprung up to house visitors.

"In high seasons, hotels need to be booked three to five days in advance," she added.

Educational cooperation

Heihe is also on the frontier of educational cooperation between China and Russia.

In 2007, Heihe University established the first Confucius Institute in Russia's Far East with Blagoveshchensk State Pedagogical University (BSPU).

Nikolay Kukharenko, director of the Confucius Institute at BSPU, said Confucius Institutes serve as cultural bridges between nations and play a significant role in promoting knowledge about China.

He noted that the institute's enrollment rose from 70 students in 2007 to 450, ranging from schoolchildren to business people who recognize the value of the Chinese language and culture for their future success.

Speaking about BSPU's collaboration with Heihe University, Kukharenko said their partnership, which began in 1989, is "a model for other Russian-Chinese academic collaborations."

In recent years, Heihe University has broadened the scope of its cooperation, establishing long-term partnerships with 29 Russian universities.

Heihe University Vice President Xie Hui told Xinhua that the university has launched six joint programs with its Russian counterparts, covering disciplines such as the Russian language and arts.

The Russian Academy of Arts and Surikov Moscow State Academy of Arts opened their first overseas studios at the university last year, offering students the rare opportunity to learn firsthand from world-class artists.

Such a wealth of educational resources has attracted many Russian students to study at Heihe University.

Viktoriia Poleeva, a sophomore majoring in Chinese Language and Literature at Heihe University, said that despite the vast distance from her hometown, she plans to stay in China for graduate studies and build a career here.

"It takes me two days to go back to Kamchatka," Poleeva said in fluent Chinese, noting that she chose to study in such a distant city because a former teacher, also a Heihe University alumnus, recommended the university to her.

"I knew him back in Kamchatka, and he stayed here to teach after graduation," Poleeva explained. "He told me the university has a lot of great teachers, and I trusted his advice."

"Many of my classmates want to continue living in the country as well because they love China very much," she added.