During the National Day holiday, a new trend has emerged among travelers: visiting borders and snapping photos with boundary markers. This year, the 2,981-kilometer border line in Heilongjiang attracted tourists from across the nation to its border gates and boundary markers to celebrate the occasion.
In the far east of China, at East Pole Square in Wusu Town, Fuyuan City, a boundary marker nestled beside the Five-Star Red Flag has become a popular photo spot. Many visitors feel that capturing a moment with this marker on National Day boosts their sense of national pride. Police officer Li Xin from the Jiamusi Border Management Team, stationed at the East Pole, observed the enthusiastic response from tourists during the holiday.
Li noted an impressive surge, estimating that visitor numbers at the East Pole have doubled compared to last year. Ensuring the safety of visitors by increasing patrols was one of his main priorities this holiday. Zhang Jiale, a border officer stationed at North Pole Square in Mohe City—the northernmost city in China—echoed his observations of the growing crowds.
At the third-generation border gate at the Suifenhe highway port in Suifenhe City, tourists formed a steady line to capture their moments with the boundary marker. The Suifenhe National Gate scenic area, located at the starting point of the G10 Suifenhe-Mudanjiang expressway, stands out as China’s only scenic spot that spans an international gateway and represents all three generations of national gates.
Many visitors sought assistance from border patrol officer Wang Jiaxing to take photos or asked about travel to neighboring countries. One tourist from Shanghai brought his young daughter specifically to experience this site, emphasizing the significance of patriotic education through their connection to the China-Russia border and the three generations of national gates.
Shanghai visitor Ke Zunlei remarked, “Being at our country’s border feels quite sacred.”
In Huling City, where the Ussuri River begins in Hutou Town, the boundary marker was also bustling with activity. Officer Li Guannan from the Hutou Border Patrol shared the special significance behind the numbers on this particular boundary marker with those eager to take photos.
Li explained, “This boundary marker carries a unique meaning. It’s not just a sequence of numbers; to us immigration management officers, it symbolizes a deep love for our motherland, encapsulating the sentiment, ‘love you forever.'”
