The Hongshanzui Port is located in Fuhai County, Altay Prefecture, 240 kilometers from the county seat, 192 kilometers from Altay, 896 kilometers from Urumqi and two kilometers from the Sino-Mongolian border. To its east is Mongolia's Bayan Uliegay Aymag (Province), with the provincial capital of Uliegay lying 180 kilometers distant. The Hongshanzui Port is only 12 kilometers from its counterpart in Mongolia.
Throughout recorded history, Hongshanzui has served as a trading passage between China and Mongolia. On June 24, 1991, the Chinese and Mongolian governments agreed to open the port and in July 1992, the State Council ratified the agreement. The port is capable of handling annual cargo volume of up to 10,000 tons and 10,000 person-times in passenger transits.
Situated in the mountains, Hongshanzui is a seasonal port, open only from July 1-10, August 1-10 and September 1-10 every year.
A frontier defense station is permanently located at Hongshanzui.
Hongshanzui has a 713-square-meter consolidated inspection hall, a 2,000-square-meters open-air goods yard and 248 portable structures for the border reciprocal trade fair. A cumulative total of 76,000 passengers have passed through the port, 15,000 vehicles and 18,000 tons of cargo. Tourism and shopping generate about 1 million yuan (US$121,000) each year.
(China.org.cn December 15, 2004)
