Chinese reach the borders of Tatarstan
A railway hub is being established in Agryz to sort containers bound for China, bypassing Moscow
“We now have an opportunity to redirect cargo flows from China. Up to 90% of container trains from Vladivostok currently go to Moscow, and only from there are they distributed across the country. We are offering an alternative — to unload here, which would cut costs by half,” said Lenar Gurgayanov, head of the Agryz district, presenting his “dream project” at a municipal Chinese forum. A delegation from Heilongjiang Province will continue studying the region’s infrastructure for another two days. They have been invited to become partners of the anchor resident — the Agryz industrial park — and to establish joint production of construction materials. Local authorities have promised to present the logistics project to the Tatarstan Investment Council in the spring of 2026.
“You can’t make a deal with the Chinese without personal contact on the ground”
A delegation of Chinese business representatives from the northern province of Heilongjiang landed in Agryz for a three-day visit. This is the region closest to the Russian Far East, just across the Amur River, which allows guests from China to visit more often and stay longer. “As soon as a free spot appears under a spruce in the taiga, a Chinese businessman is already there,” local entrepreneurs like to joke about the Chinese expansion — and not without reason. Once Agryz had enough free space, the Chinese did not hesitate to come when invited. To mark the occasion, the head of the district organised a Russian-Chinese municipal-level forum. It is said that the head of Tatarstan’s Investment Development Agency, Taliya Minullina, learned about it only when preparations were nearly complete. “Investment route: Agryz station” — that was the title she coined. “With the Chinese, it’s like this: without face-to-face contact on site, you won’t reach an agreement,” explained State Duma deputy Anatoly Ivanov in an interview with Realnoe Vremya after flying in from Moscow. He added that he expects to host the Chinese delegation in Mamadysh over the weekend.
The forum was held at the local cultural centre, which was filled to capacity. Welcoming speeches included quotes from the leaders of both countries, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, and emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two great powers. Impressive figures of Tatarstan’s economic growth were cited, and the Chinese company Haier was presented as a model case of successful investment. “The Haier experience is not just a success story — it’s a ready-made roadmap for your own investments,” said Taliya Minullina. An industrial park in Agryz, covering almost 10 hectares, is being prepared to host Chinese residents. According to her, the project is in the final stage of approval by the Tatarstan government.
When Russia helped China rise
The president of the Ningbo Chamber of Commerce in Heilongjiang Province, Yang Changzhen, remarked that Chinese investments should be seen as a gesture of gratitude — a way to repay Russia for its support during China’s technological breakthrough in the 1970s–80s. According to him, around 150 major industrial projects in China — including those in energy, metallurgy, and metro construction — were supported by the Soviet Union. “The transformations reached my hometown, Wuhan. The first bridge there was built with Soviet help. It’s still in use today. We couldn’t have managed without the USSR,” he said, implying that now it is China’s turn to help Russia.
The director of the Chinese-Russian Scientific, Technical and Economic Cooperation Centre Weilaishared details of how his team helps Tatarstan companies select industrial equipment in line with safety and environmental standards. Weilaioperates five offices in China and one in Moscow. “Not every Tatar speaks Russian this well,” marvelled Taliya Minullina. “Maybe it’s time to open another office? Perhaps here in Agryz?”
Agryz as an alternative to the Moscow transport hub of Selyatino
“We now have an opportunity to change the route of cargo flows from China,” said Agryz district head Lenar Nurgayanov. Logistics remains a weak point for Chinese businesses entering the Russian market. According to him, up to 90% of container trains from Vladivostok to Russia’s western regions pass through Moscow, where they are redistributed — an expensive and inefficient route. “Unlike major hubs where customs and transshipment are concentrated, Agryz offers a cost-effective alternative for moving goods from East to West,” he said. “Up to 90% of cargo traffic could stop here, clear customs, be resorted, and then transported by road within a 500–1,000 km radius to their destinations.” He noted that bypassing Moscow’s transport hub would cut shipping costs by half.
He also expressed readiness to lease or sell production facilities quickly and ensure minimal costs for connecting engineering infrastructure.
“In other words, if shipping currently takes 23 days, the travel time could be reduced to 12. That’s a serious improvement — and all about saving money,” confirmed a representative of the Tatarstan Ministry of Transport. According to him, the creation of a sorting complex is now under consideration. The plan would allow clients to detach their container wagons from general freight trains and transfer them to the Deng Xiaoping logistics complex, located 100 km from Agryz. The idea was proposed by the management of the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, whose logistics operator is developing routes to China via Kazakhstan. Outbound shipments will include petrochemical exports, while inbound traffic will serve the needs of online marketplaces.
Stone wool, sandwich panels and concrete: who will move into the Agryz industrial park
Where will the logistics hub be located? Three options are being considered: a 169-hectare site within Izh-Bobya, a 77-hectare site nearby, and a third covering 52 hectares. The need for such a centre is explained by its proximity to the Alabuga SEZ, the Nizhnekamsk industrial zone, and Udmurtia. “Alabuga hosts 43 factories with total investment of 179 billion rubles. It’s only 100 km away. The Nizhnekamsk cluster includes SIBUR, TAIF, TANECO, and NKNK, which shipped 884 billion rubles’ worth of products in 2024,” said local business representatives. The Agryz logistics hub project is currently under review by Russian Railways head Oleg Belozerov. Local authorities plan to present it to Tatarstan’s Investment Council by spring, with total investment estimated at several hundred billion rubles.
However, the Chinese delegation showed greater interest in the Agryz industrial park, located near the railway junction. Covering around 10 hectares, it is expected to host its anchor resident — the Naberezhnye Chelny-based road construction company Avtotechniks PLC. In partnership with the firm, several Chinese companies are considering building a sandwich panel plant and a concrete factory. Separately, a project for a stone wool plant is being developed. The investor will likely be Bazis Alabuga, which has signed a letter of intent with the Weilaicentre. Tatarstan-based investors are counting on Weilai’s assistance in selecting suitable equipment. The estimated cost of the plant is 400 million rubles.
Following Agryz’s example, Nizhnekamsk is preparing to hold its own investment forum, aptly named Akcha (“Money”). Chinese partners are expected to attend there as well.