Photo taken on August 2, 2006 shows passengers boarding a plane to Irkutsk at the Manzhouli airport, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Built more than 100 years ago, Manzhouli is China's main crossing on Sino-Russian border and leading inland port at present, where railways, highways and airlines connect both of the countries. The total trade volume across the city peaked 20 million tons in 2005 and reached 11 million tons in the first six months of the year 2006, mainly oil and lumber from Russia and light-industry products from China included. Manzhouli, which has buildings of unique styles and flourishing commercial markets, attracts more than 8 million tourists and businessmen from home and abroad annually.

Photo taken on August 2, 2006 shows passengers waiting at a border checkpoint of Manzhouli, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.