The Big Ussuri Island is a hot topic of today. He owes such popularity to certain circumstances that were published by the media a year ago. Reveal the essence of the problem will help the text of this article.
Where is the Big Ussuri Island?
The geographical location of the island in question is considered the largest river in the Far East - the famous Amur. To be more precise, slightly lower than the mouth of the Ussuri River, the northern part of the island is washed by Amur, the eastern part - the Ussuriysky settlement - is now located within the Industrial District of Khabarovsk. On the northwest side, it is adjacent to the Chinese island of Tarabar. The islands are separated by a duct.
Another duct, Kazakevicheva, separates the Big Ussuri Island from the south-west from the territory of the PRC. The eastern part is washed by the waters of the Amur canal from the Russian Federation. Since the water level in the Amur is unstable, the territory of the island changes from time to time within 327-350 square kilometers (in other sources - about 254 sq. Km). Thus, the greatest width is 10 kilometers, and the length from west to east is 38 kilometers.
History of the island in the 20th and 21st centuries
Since 1929, two large objects - the island of Tarabarov and Bolshoi Ussuri - as well as neighboring islands, much smaller ones, became owned by the Soviet state. When the USSR collapsed after the well-known events of 1991, these territories became part of the Russian Federation.
During the conflict that arose in 1967 between the once friendly states, the Chinese tried to challenge the belonging of the Big Ussuri Island.
The two major neighboring powers in 2004 concluded a preliminary agreement, which was ratified the following year. Thanks to this document, the PRC took possession of the western part of the Greater Ussuriysk, the entire Tarabar island, a number of small islands. This step of the Russian public leadership did not really like.
The final designation of the Russian-Chinese border line (demarcation) took place on October 14, 2008. So the Great Ussuri island began to belong to another country. China gladly joined a significant part of it to Heilongjiang. Russia owns 174 square meters. km with a population of almost five hundred people.
Chinese part
The Chinese, with their characteristic pragmatism and industriousness, undertook to develop a new territory, gradually turning it into a recreation zone to attract tourists. At the moment there is a state reserve with a border outpost. The created hotel complex called “Peace Square” includes wooden buildings, a 81-meter-high pagoda and other objects. Communication with the mainland is via a bridge.
Numerous tourists are attracted by the Big Ussuri Island. Infrastructure development is taking place now.
The Russian side of the Big Ussuri Island
The local Russian authorities, following the example of their Chinese colleagues, intended to create a tourist and recreation zone. Moreover, it was supposed to give it a special visa regime for foreign tourists, the number of which should be about 200 thousand during the month.
Ultimately, the Big Ussuri island should turn into the territory of the advanced development (TOR). In particular, the government planned the construction of the International Expocenter, the International Youth Camp, Safari Park, the Palace of Martial Arts, the International Equestrian Center and other significant facilities.
What is the essence of the problem that has arisen on the island?
The following acute issues are characteristic of the Russian part of the island, requiring their solution.
In 2013, the island was subjected to severe flooding, which forced the regional authorities to ban construction work in the territory at risk of flooding. The ban is relevant today. The bridge to the island of Bolshoi Ussuriysky allowed to arrange the supply of many products and other materials, but this did not solve the problems of the local population.
At one time, an order was made to demolish all apartment buildings: 4 - in the village of Bychikha and 11 - in the village of Ussuriysk, which locals call Chumka. But the fact is that in one of these buildings in the village of Ussuriysk there is the only grocery store. Among the multi-apartment buildings are private houses. They are also subject to the specified order of local authorities. Almost half of them lack documentation. This category of buildings is called "self-construction." For various reasons, not all residents agreed to move to the mainland. For some families, cash is not enough to pay utility bills in a new place. For others - I just didn’t want to leave the inhabited dwellings, which I got used to.
Deadlock disputes
For a long period, there was an unstable supply of electricity and water supply. But the issue of central heating remained unresolved. The fact that the village is distant from the city causes certain inconveniences associated with the organization and maintenance of infrastructure, i.e. educational and medical institutions, the post of a local police officer, etc.
The village is an obstacle to the creation of an international tourist zone. Moreover, external investments have already been attracted here. Big Ussuri island can become a developed infrastructure only after all disputed issues are resolved.