CHINA is keen to rejuvenate its northeast rustbelt region through transport connections with other northeast Asian countries.

    Three northeast China provinces — Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning — have built a dozen railway and road transport links with Russia, the Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Mongolia. Air routes now reach more than 70 countries, according to sources with the Harbin International Economic and Trade Talk exhibition.

    More than 4,300 overseas participants took part in the five-day event, which closed Sunday.

    Peng Jielin, a development and reform commission inspector in Heilongjiang, said the transport network should take the lead in the region’s opening up.

    The provincial capital of Harbin has just opened rail services to Hamburg, Germany and Ekaterinburg, Russia, and a joint rail and water transport route linking up Vladivostok, Russia and Pusan in the Republic of Korea (ROK).

    The neighboring province of Jilin has been keen on developing sea-going routes via ports in Russia and the DPRK.

    Liaoning has focused on sea transport via its port of Yingkou to the ROK and Russia.(Xinhua)