Fireworks display over ice sculptures in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin's Ice and Snow Festival. (Photo : Reuters)
The northern Chinese province of Heilongjiang would soon have a Russian theme park in one of its cities. Word is out that the Manchurian city of Harbin is the chosen location to construct the Sino-Russian Friendship Park.
Wei Minfang, general manager of the Harbin Volga Manor Cultural Tourism Ltd., a local tourism firm, has confirmed the project.
"The park, based on the history of Harbin City with the theme of Russia culture, will become a new landmark for Sino-Russia cultural tourism," said Wei.
Construction of the five-square-kilometer park would begin this year and the first phase is expected to be done by 2017, during which it would be open to the public.
The total completion of the 5-billion-yuan project is expected after six years.
Local tourism agencies hope the park would bolster tourism relations between the two countries.
Harbin's historical ties with Russia go way back as early as the end of the 18th century. The city was the center of the Chinese Eastern Railway, which was made possible through Russian support and funds. With the construction of the railway, Harbin earned the title "Moscow of the East."
The city also features Russian architecture, which makes it seem like a second home to Russians. These and more encouraged many people from the former Soviet Union to visit and migrate to Harbin.
At one point, it seemed that the city in the northern part of the country was more Russian than Chinese. It became a refuge for those fleeing their country during the Bolshevik Revolution.
However, the Japanese occupation and rise to power of Chinese communists have forced the Russians to retreat back to their country and signaled the end of the Soviet's presence in the city by 1950s.
Wei's company is also behind the 600,000-square-meter Volga Manor park, which is famous for its snow festivals during winter.
