Where Russia and China meet
By Rosie Goldsmith
BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents
Khabarovsk is the capital of the Russian Far East
Eight hours by plane or a week by train, Khabarovsk is a long way from Moscow. But it is not just distance that separates the cities. This part of Russia, on the eastern tip of Siberia, is developing a separate economy and lifestyle, partly due to the Chinese presence there.
Judging by the new ice skating rink in Khabarovsk, life is good for Russians living here. The rink is the most modern in the country.
It seats over 7,000 spectators and is the base for the successful ice hockey team, Amur-Khabarovsk, which is sponsored by a local gold mining company.
AMUR RIVER VALLEY
A glimpse into life on the border between Russia and China
In pictures
Bright and brash, the rink is evidence of private money coming into the city.
In the main street outside, the paint on the brightly coloured facades still looks wet. Cranes are everywhere, overshadowing the Soviet-era housing estates where the majority of residents still live.
Khabarovsk was once a forgotten outpost, but now the capital of the Russian Far East is waking up from a spell of hibernation. And the potential wealth of the area is staggering.
Vladimir Kuchuk feels the area is unable to utilise its resources
But it could still go horribly wrong.
"Just over a decade ago, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, this area was left unceremoniously out in the cold," said Vladimir Kuchuk, a regional government adviser.
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