Borders of China

As the most populous country in the world and third largest in area, China also has the largest number of neighbours sharing its 22,000km land borders. They are: North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Kazakhastan, Kyrgyastan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. Among the 34 provincial-level administrative regions of China, 9 of them have land neighbors. They are respectively: Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Tibet, Yunnan and Guangxi. Here are the main border ports of China. Let’s see one by one.

Countries Sharing Borders with China

1. China-North Korea Border Ports

The border between China and North Korea is 1,416 kilometreslong. From west to east, the Amnokgang, Paektu Mountain, and the Tumen River divide the two countries. China has 13 border ports with North Korea, 8 of them located in Jilin province and 5 in Liaoning province.

Border Ports in Jilin

Shatuozi Port in Jilin(吉林沙坨子口岸), Quanhe Port in Jilin(吉林圈河口岸), Guchengli Port in Jilin(吉林古城里口岸), Nanping Port in Jilin(吉林南坪口岸), Sanhe Port in Jilin(吉林三合口岸), Kaishantun Port in Jilin(吉林开山屯口岸), Jian Port in Jilin(吉林集安口岸), Tumen Port in Jilin(吉林图们口岸)

Border Ports in Liaoning

Dandong Railway Port in Liaoning(丹东铁路口岸), Dandong Port in Liaoning(丹东港口岸), Dandong Taipingwan Port in Liaoning(丹东太平湾口岸), Dandong Road Port in Liaoning(丹东公路口岸)

2. China-Russia Border Ports

After the final demarcation carried out in the early 2000s, the borders between China and Russia measures 4,209.3 kilometres and is the world’s sixth-longest international border. China has 22 border ports with Russia, 15 of them located in Heilongjiang, 5 in Inner Mongolia and 2 in Jilin. 

Border Ports in Heilongjiang

Mohe Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江漠河口岸), Heihe Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江黑河口岸), Sunwu Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江孙吴口岸), Xunke Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江逊克口岸), Jaiyin Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江嘉荫口岸), Luobei Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江萝北口岸), Tongjiang Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江同江口岸), Fuyuan Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江抚远口岸), Raohe Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江饶河口岸), Hulin Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江虎林口岸), Mishan Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江密山口岸), Suifenhe Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江绥芬河口岸)(both railway port and road port), Dongning Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江东宁口岸), Fujin Port in Heilongjiang(黑龙江富锦口岸)

Border Ports in Inner Mongolia

Manzhouli Port in Inner Mongolia(内蒙古满洲里口岸)(both railway port and road port), Heishantou Port in Inner Mongolia(内蒙古黑山头口岸), Shiwei Port in Inner Mongolia(内蒙古室韦口岸), Erka Port in Inner Mongolia(内蒙古二卡口岸)

Border Ports in Jilin

Huichun Port in Jilin(吉林珲春口岸)

3. China-Mongolia Border Ports

The border between China and Mongolia stretches 4677 kilometers from east to west, between two triple borders China – Mongolia – Russia. China has 10 ports in total located in Inner Mongolia open to Mongolia. They are: Erlianhot Railway Port(二连浩特铁路口岸), Erlianhot Road Port(二连浩特公路口岸), Ceke Road Port(策克公路口岸), Gan Qimaodu Road Port(甘其毛都公路口岸), Zhu’engadabuqi Road Port(珠恩嘎达布其公路口岸), Ariha Shate Road Port(阿日哈沙特公路口岸), Mandula Road Port(满都拉公路口岸), Ebuduge Water Port(额布都格水运口岸), Alshan Road Port(阿尔山公路口岸), Ba Gemaodu Road Port(巴格毛都公路口岸).

4. China-Kazakhastan Border Ports

According to the commissions’ protocols and maps, the two countries’ border line is 1782.75 km long, including 1215.86 km of land border and 566.89 km of border line run along (or across) rivers or lakes. There are seven border ports with Kazakhastan located in Xinjiang Province. They are: Alashankou Port(阿拉山口口岸), Horgos Port(霍尔果斯口岸), Baketu Port(巴克图口岸), Jimunai Port(吉木乃口岸), Dulata Port(都拉塔口岸), Muzart Port(木札尔特口岸), Aheitu Bieke Port(阿黑土别克口岸).

5. China-Kyrgyastan Border Ports

The China-Kyrgyzstan border is 1,063km in length and runs from the tripoint with Kazakhstan following a roughly south-west line across various mountain ridges and peaks of the Tian Shan range down to the tripoint with Tajikistan. There are two ports with Kyrgyzstan located in Xinjiang, namely Irkeshtan Port(伊尔克什坦口岸), Torugart Port(吐尔尕特口岸).

6. China-Tajikistan Border Port

The China-Tajikistan border is 477km in length and runs from the tripoint with Kyrgyzstan following a roughly north-south line across various mountain ridges and peaks of the Pamir range down to the tripoint with Afghanistan. Karasu Port(卡拉苏口岸) in Xinjiang is the only land port open to Tajikistan, about 850 kilometers from Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.

7. China-Afghanistan Border Port

The border between China and Afghanistan is a 76 kilometres long boundary, beginning at the tripoint of both countries with Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan) and ending at the tripoint with Tajikistan. There is no official border port between the border of China and Afghanistan.

8. China-Pakistan Border Ports

The China-Pakistan border is 438km and runs west-east from the tripoint with Afghanistan to the disputed tripoint with India in the vicinity of the Siachen Glacier. The Khunjerab Pass(红其拉甫口岸) in Xinjiang is the only modern day border port between China and Pakistan, accessed via the Karakorum Highway.

9. China-India Border Ports

As for the China-India border, there is always some disputes. The Line of Actual Control (LAC) is a demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory in the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, formed after the 1962 war. The Nathula Pass(乃堆拉山口) in Tibet is a major trade route between China and India.

10. China-Nepal Border Ports

The border between China and Nepal is 1,414 kilometres (879 mi) in length, along the mountain range the Himalayas, extends northwest-southeast direction, separating the south of Tibet Autonomous Region of China and the territory of Nepal. Zhangmu Port(樟木口岸), Gyirong Port(吉隆口岸), Riwu Port(日屋口岸) and Pulan Port(普兰口岸) in Tibet are the main border ports between China and Nepal.

11. China-Bhutan Border Ports

The border between Bhutan and China is a sinuous line of 470 km (290 mi) long, in a north-south-east direction, which separates Bhutan to the south from Tibet, an autonomous region of China, to the north. At present, China and Bhutan have not established diplomatic ties.

12. China-Myanmar Border Ports

The border between China and Myanmar begins at Hkakabo Razi (5881 m), the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, passing through the mountain ranges of Jigongshan and Jiangaosh (3302 m). It continues through mountainous areas and a small northern section of the Mekong River, before ending at the border with Laos. Yunnan is China’s window and gateway to southeast Asia and South Asia. The main border ports between China and Myanmar are all located in Yunnan, namely: Houqiao Port(猴桥口岸), Diantan Port(滇滩口岸), Zizhi Port(自治口岸), Sanchahe Port(三岔河口岸), Menglian Port(孟连口岸), Mengla Port(勐腊口岸), Daluo Port(打洛口岸), Mengding Port(孟定口岸), Nansan Port(南伞口岸), Cangyuan Port(沧源口岸), Ruili Port(瑞丽口岸), Wanding Port(畹町口岸), Yingjiang Port(盈江口岸), Zhangfeng Port(章凤口岸), Pianma Port(片马口岸), etc.

13. China-Laos Border Ports

The border between China and Laos is a 423 km long line separating the northern Laotian provinces of Luang Namtha, Oudomxai and Phongsali from the southern Chinese province of Yunnan. Mohan Port(磨憨口岸) in Yunnan is the main border port between China and Laos.

14. China-Vietnam Border Ports

The China-Vietnam border measures about 1,281 km. In several areas, the land border between the two countries runs along rivers. A number of border ports for vehicular and pedestrian traffic operate on the border located in Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces.

Border Ports in Guangxi

Dongxing Port(东兴口岸), Lihuo Port(里火口岸), Aidian Port(爱店口岸), Youyiguan Port(凭祥友谊关口岸), Puzhai Port(凭祥浦寨口岸), Shuikou Port(水口口岸), Longbang Port(龙邦口岸), Pingmeng Port(平孟口岸), Tongzhong Port(峒中口岸), Shuolong Port(硕龙口岸)

Border Ports in Yunnan

Hekou Port(河口口岸), Tianbao Port(天保口岸), Jinshuihe Port(金水河口岸)