Russian culture theme park to be built in NE China

A large Russian culture theme park is expected to be built in Harbin, capital of China's border province of Heilongjiang.

Construction of the Sino-Russia Friendship Park will start this year, said Wei Minfang, general manager with the Harbin Volga Manor Cultural Tourism Co., Ltd.

The 5-square-kilometer park will take six years to complete with the first stage expected to be completed and open to the public by 2017, Wei said.

"The park, based on the history of Harbin City with the theme of Russia culture, will become a new landmark for Sino-Russia cultural tourism," she said.

Total investment is estimated at 5 billion yuan (800 million US dollars).

The company now runs a 600,000-square-meter park called Volga Manor, which has become a major resort for the ice and snow festivals in Harbin. Famous sites include a church, a Russian-style castle and a Russian restaurant. The new theme park will surround the current one with the current park at its center, according to Wei.

Dubbed "Oriental Moscow", Harbin originated in 1898 from the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway financed by then Russia Empire. Apart from its unique combination of oriental and European architecture styles, the city is also known for its ice and snow festivals in winter.