The city of Salekhard in August
International online report (China Radio International reporter Li Jie): The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region in the Arctic region of Russia is rich in natural resources such as oil and gas, mineral deposits, and has a unique tundra landform, and indigenous peoples such as Nenets, Hants, and Selkupu people accompany reindeer to breed on this land. With the completion and commissioning of the Yamal LNG project in the small town of Sambitta on the Coast of the Arctic Ocean, as well as the planning and construction of infrastructure projects such as railways and bridges, the autonomous region is eager to strengthen cooperation with investors from China and other countries in the fields of energy, tourism, commerce and trade, and revitalize this 770,000-square-kilometer sleeping land.
80% of Russia's natural gas resources are stored under the vast tundra of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous region. Taking advantage of this, the first production line of the Yamal project, the world's largest LNG project, was put into operation at the end of 2017, and the second production line was officially launched on August 9 this year. The acting governor of the autonomous region, Dmitry Arjunkhov, pointed out on August 21 that the third production line under planning will be put into operation at the end of this year, earlier than previously expected in 2019.
China jointly invested in the construction of the Yamal project five years ago, accounting for nearly 30% of the investment. According to the signed agreement, after the completion of the three production lines, the Yamal project will produce about 28 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas per year, of which nearly 1/4 will be supplied to China, greatly alleviating the problem of natural gas shortage in China. A month ago, the first batch of LNG arrived in China. Speaking of China's role in the Yamal project, The deputy governor of the autonomous region, Alexander Mazarov, pointed out that china is not only a shareholder of the project, but also provides a large number of technical equipment and various equipment for the project, "Without the joint construction of Chinese partners, the first production line would not be put into operation at the end of last year so soon." China's cooperation has played an important role in driving the project forward. ”
In just a few years, Sambeta, where the Yamal project is located, has transformed from an unknown seasonal fishing port along the Arctic Ocean into a new industrial city of 300,000 people. It is worth mentioning that the Yamal people attach great importance to environmental protection while developing their economy. Mazarov said that before the autonomous region starts a large-scale infrastructure project, it must first demonstrate the impact of the project on nature and humans, and then try to compensate for the environment. Operating concurrently with the Yamal Gas Project is another environmental project, a fish breeding base located more than 500 kilometres away. Mazarov said: "We first built a fish breeding base, and a few months later launched the Construction of the Yamal Project in Sabetta. Industrial projects affect local animal reproduction, so when the project is running, we must also breed fish in other places to maintain diversity. In other words, the losses caused by one project are compensated in another place. ”
Most of the land in the Yamal region is located in the tundra and is unable to engage in agricultural cultivation. The indigenous Nenets and Hants have traditionally engaged in reindeer farming. This region is the largest deer herd in Russia and currently has more than 700,000 head in stock. All-natural, high-quality venison and deer skins have become local export commodities. At present, venison has entered the German market.
Now the local government is engaging with Chinese companies, expecting reindeer products to enter the Chinese market and meet the needs of Chinese. For the first China International Import Commodities Expo held in Shanghai in November, yamal Autonomous Region said it would bring local products to Chinese consumers and showcase unique tourism resources. "At the fair, we will display more traditional products, bringing with us fishing products, reindeer products, mammoth carving crafts, deerskin products, as well as juices made from locally picked berries, jams and so on," Mazarov said. ”
The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region has rich polar tourism resources: hundreds of thousands of lakes of different sizes, vast and desolate tundra, tens of thousands of clean rivers, polar vast snowfields, dreamy auroras, etc. The so-called "barbaric" land is a tourist paradise in the eyes of urban people. Here you can experience the extremely cold weather of minus 40-50 degrees, drive reindeer sleigh through the vast snowfields, charter a helicopter to follow the trail of polar bears, pick unpolluted mushrooms and various berries, and experience the daily life of the Nenets.
Stroll through the city of Sarekhard, the capital of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region, where the 3,600-kilometre-long Ob River runs through the city, with clear, calm, and colorful buildings conveying the European flair in the hearts of Russians. The city on the Arctic Circle is quiet but vibrant. At present, the cooperation between the autonomous region and China in Yamal and other projects has achieved positive results, with the Ob River cross-river bridge and the railway project connecting the port of Sabeta and the city of Salekharde projects, the potential for Sino-Russian cooperation in this region is huge, and the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region is very eager to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields and achieve common development.
More than 3,600 kilometers of the Ob River flows through here and eventually joins the Arctic Ocean
A ferry boat on the Ob River
The daily life of the Nenets people
The tent where the Nenets live in the summer
A vast permafrost area with weeds and low trees
Government building of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Region