Russia in talks with China on opening consulate general in Harbin - ambassador

BEIJING, August 27. /TASS/. Russia is holding talks with the Chinese authorities on restoring the consulate general in Harbin, in northeastern China, Russia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China Andrey Denisov said on Thursday. "Now we have only one consular body in China’s northeast, namely the consulate general in Shenyang. This is not enough. The effort is currently underway to open the consular body in Harbin," Denisov said at a joint press conference with Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Gopin. The diplomat said it’s time to clearly define its status now. "We consider that under the agreement with our Chinese colleagues this will also be a consulate general," Denisov said. "A Chinese consular body in Vladivostok [Russia's Far East] will be also reorganized and it will be given a status of the consulate general," he said, adding: "We have other plans jointly with our Chinese partners to open new consulates," he said. The consulate of the Russian Empire was opened in Harbin in 1907 and it continued operation until 1920. In 1924, the consulate general of the Soviet Union was launched but it was closed in 1962. Read more