A Russian tourist takes photos on a pedestrian street in Heihe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 15, 2026. Cross-border tourism and people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia have become more active since the introduction of optimized visa-free policies in 2025. (Photo by Zhao Donglai/Xinhua)

　　Russian tourists shop in Heihe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 15, 2026. Cross-border tourism and people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia have become more active since the introduction of optimized visa-free policies in 2025. (Photo by Zhao Donglai/Xinhua)

　　Police officers of the Heihe border inspection station perform border procedures for a foreign passenger arriving in Heihe, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 15, 2026. Cross-border tourism and people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia have become more active since the introduction of optimized visa-free policies in 2025. (Photo by Liu Song/Xinhua)