HOHHOT, Jan. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- The Manzhouli-Back Baikalscow International Road Port will be in service 24 hours a day starting March 1st, said sources with the Manzhouli Customs.

    An official from local customs said the customs of China and Russia reached an agreement last December on expanding the servicein the Manzhouli-Back Baikalscow port in March 2005.

    Currently, relevant high-tech systems have been installed at the working site of the port to ensure sound operation, said officials with the local customs.

    Manzhouli, a city in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is the largest land port on the Sino-Russian border. Equipped with highly-developed railway and highway systems, the port handles 60 percent of the freight between China and Russia.

    Statistics from local customs said that Manzhouli achieved a record high of 3.14 billion US dollars worth of foreign trade last year, a rise of 41.8 percent from 2003.

    The main commodities imported from Russia via Manzhouli include timber, crude oil, pulp and chemicals for industrial purposes. While textiles, garments, building materials, decorations, home appliances and farm produce are popular items for export to Russia. Enditem