导读:历经28年磋商，黑河-布拉戈维申斯克黑龙江大桥项目于12月24日举行开工仪式。这是中俄两国界河黑龙江上的首座现代化公路大桥。
A ceremony has taken place in northeastern China to mark the beginning of a bridge project linking China and Russia.
中国东北举行了一项仪式，标志着连接中俄两国桥梁项目的开始。
Construction is now getting underway on a 1.3-kilometer long bridge, which will connect a Chinese border town in Heilongjiang with a Russian community on the other side of the Heilong, which divides the two countries.
现在正在建设一条1.3公里长的桥梁，黑龙江将中俄两国分隔开来，而这一桥梁将连接位于黑龙江的一个中国边境城市黑河与黑河对岸的俄罗斯布拉戈维申斯克。
The joint project, worth some 360 million US dollars, will see construction start this winter.
这个价值约3.6亿美元的联合项目将于今年冬天开始建设。
By starting the construction during this season will make it easier for us to clean the mud used in the process, including the drilling mud. It won’t infiltrate the soil or harm the environment, minimizing the hazards. The second reason we’re starting now is because of the drift ice which normally starts around April. If we start now, we’re able to avoid that.
在这个季节开始施工将使我们更容易清洁该过程中使用的泥浆，包括钻井泥浆。它不会渗入土壤或损害环境，使危害最小化。第二个原因是浮冰通常在四月左右开始漂移，如果现在开始，就能够避免这个问题。
Both the Chinese and Russian sides say the new bridge will bring economic benefits on both sides of the "Black Dragon." And the new bridge project will also help cross-border exchanges.
中俄双方都表示，新的桥梁将为黑龙江两岸带来经济效益。新的桥梁项目也将帮助跨境交流。
The infrastructure in transportation is one of our priorities. Both heads of state of our two countries are very supportive of this kind of work in the border areas. The bridge, once completed, will play an important role not only in the economy, but also in exchanges in various fields.
交通基础设施是我们的优先事项，我们两国的国家元首都非常支持边境地区的这种工作。这座桥梁一旦完工，不仅在经济中将发挥重要作用，也将促进各个领域的交流。
Local officials in the Chinese border city of Heihe say the project is going to help elevate a major bottle-neck in cross-border trade. Around 700-thousand people and 300-thousand tons of goods enter or exit China via Heihe every year. Passenger flows are to double, and cargo volumes increase by 10-fold, once the project is complete.
中国边境城市黑河市的地方官员说，该项目将有助于改善跨境贸易的主要瓶颈问题。每年有约70万人和30万吨货物通过黑河进出中国。一旦项目完成，客流量将增加一倍，货运量将增加10倍。
It’s also part of a trilateral economic corridor linking China, Russia and Mongolia.
它也是连接中国、俄罗斯和蒙古三边经济走廊的一部分。
The bridge project, proposed 28-years ago, is expected to be finished in October of 2019.
该桥梁项目于28年前提出，预计将于2019年10月完成。
