China Mulls Corridors For Goods, People Movement Across Border With Russia - Ambassador

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2020) Beijing is looking to establish so-called green corridors that will allow for the movement of goods and people across the border between Russia and China amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told Sputnik in an interview.

The epidemiological crisis has led to the suspension of almost all international passenger air routes, but Zhang said that as the situation stabilizes, work is underway to get people and goods moving freely between Russia and China once again.

"China wishes to work with Russia to consider the gradual resumption of people-to-people contacts, creating 'green corridors' and increasing the capacity of goods to pass through customs," the ambassador said.

Speeding up border checks and customs clearances are two ways that Russia and China will look to save time and increase efficiency as passengers and goods begin moving once again, Zhang added.

"Amid the normalization of epidemic prevention and control given that anti-epidemic security is guaranteed, China and Russia will optimize procedures at border crossing points, speed up checks, and improve the efficiency of goods crossing customs," the ambassador remarked.

The Russian authorities suspended all international passenger flights, with the exception of those to repatriate citizens, in late March amid the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

Moscow has already announced that passenger flights to the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Tanzania will be allowed to resume from August, and work is currently underway to secure agreements with other countries for the resumption of international travel.