China Plans International Tourism Zone with North Korea and Russia
On February 13th, 2015, China announced that it was planning to establish a joint international tourism zone with North Korea and Russia, located at the Tumen River Delta where the three countries share a border. Although this proposal is still in its early phase, with the blueprints not expected until later this year, this tourism site will allow travelers to visit without the requirement of visas and will offer duty-free shopping. Such an announcement demonstrates not only closer cooperation between the three countries, but also the provision of a short-term economic lifeline to the North Korean regime.
The joint international tourism zone will cater to both travelers seeking to relax and those wishing to experience life in a closed country. With 10 square kilometers of land shared between China’s Hunchun Region, North Korea’s Rajin-Sonbong area and Siberia, all three countries will be responsible for building and managing the requisite facilities. In addition to duty-free shopping, the tourism zone will also feature a hot springs hotel, golf courses, and other leisure facilities . Yet the zone also offers cultural sightseeing, especially for Chinese tourists. While many are drawn to North Korea as a cheap destination when compared to other popular tourist sites, others choose to visit in order to capture the nostalgia for the time before the 1980s when China opened up to the world. Thus this tourism zone may attract older visitors who lived through China’s period of isolation and who simply wish to unwind, instead of the younger generation who may not feel as connected to their parents’ era and wish to travel to livelier locations such as Europe or North America.
The developers of this tourism zone also envision greater participation from more neighbouring countries in the long run. In an effort to encourage further regional integration with this project, highways, railways and air routes will connect South Korea, Japan and Mongolia to the tourism zone. The benefit of visa-free traveling will serve as an important factor in drawing tourists, as strict visa requirements between these Asian nations, particularly China and Japan, prevent the tourism industry from truly taking off in the region. Thus the zone is projected to deliver a short-term economic boost to all three countries, especially North Korea.
China holds an important stake in the success of this project, as the economic gains to North Korea could assuage concerns of a collapse in the isolated state. Despite recent Chinese impatience with the belligerent behaviour of North Korea, China must maintain the stability of its neighbour to prevent a refugee crisis from swamping Chinese state services . Should North Korea collapse as a result of economic failures from ailing industrial plants and poor institutional management, China would not only have to contend with a deluge of refugees fleeing into Northeastern China, but also a possible unified Korean Peninsula with strong ties to the United States. Such a development would strain China’s already overextended public services as well as eliminate a buffer zone that prevents a direct U.S. and South Korean land assault.
This joint project is a sign of shifting relations between the three countries, as the inclusion of Russia indicates North Korea’s newfound focus on its Slavic neighbour. Recently, Russia under Putin has been realigning its focus towards the Pacific region, with the $400 billion gas deal inked with China in late 2014 to the latest planned military exercises with North Korea. This focus on Asia indicates a desire to reduce Russia’s dependence on Western markets, which are subject to upheavals in conjunction with diplomatic problems, such as the current Ukraine crisis. As the tourism zone is the brainchild of Chinese officials, the involvement of Russia demonstrates a Chinese willingness to reciprocate Russian efforts at improving relations, as well as encourage further North Korean cooperation with Russia. This three-way project may be the first step in many that aims to improve the economy of North Korea with closer integration with non-western regional powers, thus ensuring the stability of the North Korean state.
The planned international tourism zone represents a newfound spirit of cooperation between three regional Pacific powers. With the aim of transforming North Korea into an attractive tourist location, China and Russia have joined together to build facilities that inspire both leisure and a sense of nostalgia for older Chinese traveler. China, North Korea and Russia have come together to build facilities that inspire both leisure and a sense of nostalgia for older Chinese travelers. Yet this cooperation is framed by the desire to find alternative short-term methods of propping up the ailing economy of North Korea, especially for China’s interests. Without a stable North Korean economy, China may face both a refugee problem and a security problem on its borders, which will put further pressure on a government that already has to deal with slowing growth and the severe pollution of its natural resources. Of course, North Korea would welcome this opportunity from the Chinese to boost its economy in the short run, despite its recent disputes with its only ally. Perhaps this tourism zone could be both a stepping stone on the path of North Korea in diversifying its revenue sources and advancing better relations with non-Western regional powers.