Russia’s largest Far East commercial center, the Port of Vladivostok, is in some ways a de facto Chinese trade hub. Starting June 1, the Chinese General Administration of Customs no longer collects tariffs on goods originating at the site, likely as part of an effort to reduce trade fees for nearby Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces.

These landlocked provinces have historically lagged behind in economic growth and long relied on the Port of Dalian for maritime trade, but this is much farther away than Vladivostok for much of the region, meaning overland transport costs can be prohibitive for