Russia-China bridge construction may take two years - official

MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/. The first Eastern Economic Forum in September may determine a Russian contractor for building a bridge across the river Amur, which forms a border with northeastern China, Alexander Levintal, Jewish Autonomous Region acting head, told TASS on Tuesday. "Financial and organizational questions are almost solved," he said, noting that the official decision will most likely to be announced at the Eastern economic forum in Russia’s Vladivostok The Jewish Autonomous Region, where the Russian part of the bridge will be located, plans to attract 20 billion rouble ($313 million) investments to the project. The sum will cover all the expenses on Russian constructing works, while the Chinese part is almost finished. Preliminary works on building the bridge have already started, and "in 1,5-2 years the bridge may be constructed," Levintal said. According to Levintal, the project will help double the Russian-Chinese trade turnover. Chinese counterparts are planning to build an industrial area with factories, exhibition centers and other facilities near the bridge, he said The construction deal was signed in June 2013, and construction works began in January 2014. Read more