BEIJING - Cooperation between northeast China's Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture and Russia is moving toward further development, said Zhang Anshun, Communist Party chief of the prefecture.

Yanbian is the only Korean autonomous prefecture in China. Located on China's northeastern border with Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), its unique geological importance gives it the name of the Golden Triangle of Northeast Asia.

Initiated by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), China, Russia, the DPRK, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Mongolia launched a joint development project in the Tumen River area in 1992, a move to strengthen regional cooperation in the area.

In September 2008, "Development of Investment in Great Tumen Area and Cooperation between Northeast Asia Economies" became the first topic on the fourth Northeast Asia Economic Forum co-organized by the UNDP and the Committee of the Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo (NAITE). Then Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed an agreement supporting the Great Tumen plan.

"China and Russia share a 240-kilometer border in Yanbian. The two countries have built a good partnership in the border region," said Zhang. "Russia increasingly emphasizes the development of its far east region, which provides opportunities for the transportation of resources, the supplement of industries, and the construction of channels between both sides."

Last year, joint transport between China's Hunchun, Russia's Zalubinau, Japan's Niigata and the ROK's Sokcho was put into trial operation, said Zhang, a national lawmaker attending the top legislature's annual session.

In August 2009, China approved a development program in its Tumen River area, with Changchun, Jilin and Yanbian in Jilin province serving as the three pioneer regions.

"We have made some progress in 20 years. The central government is working to set up a demonstration zone of international cooperation in the city of Hunchun to accelerate the development of the Tumen River area," Zhang said.

The demonstration zone is expected to cover 90 square kilometers, providing room for China's industrial cooperation with Russia and the DPRK. The cooperation can also be extended to international logistics and tourism.