Heihe faces Blagoveshchensk across the Amur, known in China as the Heilongjiang. From the Chinese riverfront, the Russian city's buildings form part of the view beyond the water. The two centres belong to different countries, but their proximity gives the river a constant presence in Heihe's public life. Promenades and river islands bring people close to a waterway that carries both everyday views and international trade.
From the journal
Heihe and Blagoveshchensk: Two Cities Across the Amur
Heihe and Blagoveshchensk face one another across the Amur, making an international boundary part of an ordinary urban view. The river links the two shores while law, language and distinct city histories keep them separate.
In the same city · Heihe ↗An opposite shore in the city’s daily view
A new road link across the Amur
The Heihe highway bridge opened for operation on 10 June 2022. A provincial report the following year followed trucks crossing it and recorded substantial freight movements in both directions. The road crossing added a new link to a border economy already organized around ports and river traffic. Its working landscape is measured in vehicles, consignments and customs procedures, alongside the quieter experience of looking from one shore to the other.
The border economy on an island
Daheihe Island brings trade into a public urban setting. In February 2026, its International Trade Centre hosted a New Year market with areas for Chinese and Russian goods, Heilongjiang food, heritage crafts and seasonal household products. Rice, mushrooms, fruit products and other local produce shared the market with cross-border merchandise. The river relationship becomes tangible here through things people carry home, giving the two-city view an everyday counterpart in food and shopping.