Harbin has joined four other Chinese cities as vice-presidents of China’s new “One Belt, One Road” Urban Tourism Alliance, which was founded in the city of Kaifeng, Henan province, on Oct 17 with Kaifeng as the president.

Harbin’s joining the 5-member group comes thanks to its geographic location and convenient transportation, with its Taiping International Airport as an important transportation hub with more than 103 domestic and international air routes to big cities in China and neighboring countries, such as Russia, Japan, and South Korea, and some European and American cities. It is also a convenient stop for flights between Southeast Asia and North America.

The alliance covers 33 cities along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, with the idea of developing tourism resources and more world-famous culture-themed travel routes, and the economies of cities along the Belt and Road.