China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) has greatly advanced the metro construction in Moscow as they conquered challenges one after another and made constant progress, said a Russian scholar at a recent forum commemorating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia.

The Russian scholar Isaev Alexander Sergeevich, a senior research fellow of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IFES RAS), noted that Moscow has a grand planning for metro construction but suffered insufficient capabilities, and the new technologies and equipment brought by the Chinese experts and technicians have well met the urgent demand of the Russian side.

It is a tangible measure that explains why China-Russia relations have won wide supports, Sergeevich said.

The tunnel between Vernadskyi Prospekt and Michurinskyi Prospekt stations of a Moscow metro line undertaken by CRCC was recently holed through. “This is the first time for a Chinese company to build a metro line in Moscow,” said Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin when inspecting the construction site.

“The metro line will effectively ease the traffic pressure of the capital and bring more convenience to the people upon completion,” the mayor said.

Commenced from last June, the tunnel project features complicated procedures, and the soil strata are different from those in China. Besides, it crosses through a large number of buildings, with severe challenges posed by underneath stations, rivers, as well as the record-setting heavy snowfalls in Moscow.

Completing the task in such an environment, the Chinese construction team showcased the high performance of the Chinese equipment and their outstanding skills and management.

Moscow metro is one of the world’s busiest metro systems, transporting more than eight million passengers each day.

The bid to build a 4.6-km section of the “Large Circle Line” in Moscow was won by the CRCC two years ago. It marked the first time for Russia to introduce a Chinese company for a metro line project, and also the first project ever in Europe undertaken by a Chinese construction team with Chinese technology and equipment.

“The Chinese company brought advanced technology and experiences to us,” said Deputy Mayor of Moscow Marat Khusnullin. He also praised Chinese constructors for their excellent performance in constructing several complicated sections of the metro line.

The CRCC has more than 1,000 managing staff and workers at the project site, and about half of them are Russians.

"Many Chinese students studied subway construction in Soviet Union in early 1950s and Soviet experts helped design the first metro line in Beijing. We are now working at the home of our ‘teachers’," said Xue Liqiang, the manager of the CRCC subway project in Moscow.

China and Russia expanded their cooperation as the project progressed. The CRCC Russia led and completed the design of three metro stations last February, and the design plan was approved by Russia’s national accreditation commission, the country’s top design management agency.

In the plan, the Michurinskyi station, which is hailed as “the most beautiful underground palace”, is designed in Chinese style featuring plum blossoms, cloud patterns and Chinese red color. The design and managing team of the CRCC studied Moscow’s metro design codes, and made the sketched constructions with Chinese characteristics under the cooperation with the Beijing Urban Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd.

“The project combines China’s advanced technologies and Russia’s outstanding designing technics. It promotes mutual learning of both sides, and enhances the capability of engineering design and management,” said CRCC Russia chairman Meng Tao.

“Chinese companies are both a constructor and a major cooperative partner of Moscow. Russia and China still have a large space for cooperation in such projects as auxiliary facilities along the Moscow River, old industrial zones upgrading and the construction of new urban area,” said Khusnullin.

“It’s hoped that Russia can have more cooperation with its Chinese partners and continuously inject vitality to the common development of both sides,” the deputy mayor said.