The government of the northeast province of Heilongjiang, China announced its plans for the development of the border island Heixiazidao (the Big Ussuri Island), half of which was ceded to China under an intergovernmental agreement in 2008. Island Heixiazidao covering an area of 327-359 sq km (it varies depending on the water level in the river) is located in the mouth of the Ussuri confluence with the River Amur and was an object of boundary territorial disputes between Russia and China for a long lime. In Russian the island is called Bolshoi Ussuriysky, in Chinese - Heixiazidao or delta Fuyuan. According to bilateral agreement on the eastern border the island was divided into two halves, its eastern part, adjacent to the city of Khabarovsk, remained Russia’s territory. Its western part was handed over to China and became a part of Fuyuan district in Heilongjiang Province. The agreement on handover was reached on October 14, 2004 on the governmental level between President Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, a construction of a nearly half-kilometer automobile bridge with the simultaneous laying of 350km ring road of the second class will be started as well as protective dams and other objects providing new infrastructure on the island. It is planned to create recreational, tourist and trade zone with Russia’s involvement into the project. It is expected that the island will turn into a special zone - example of Sino-Russian cooperation.
