The Hunchun Sino-Russia border trade zone's export volume to Russia reached $500 million in 2012, up 25 percent year on year and creating a new record, Changchun Daily reported on Jan 10.

The zone, founded in 2001, is the only border trade center open to Russia in Jilin province. It focuses on light industrial products and seafood.

Statistics provided by the zone said that some 156,000 Russian border residents have been to the zone in the past year, an increase of 29 percent and an all-time high.