Three Russian nuclear powered icebreakers are leading a huge gas tanker through the Arctic waters on the roof of Siberia.
China is getting closer to European markets due to 'monumental change' wrought by global warming off Siberia's Arctic coast.
The Russian government is to give priority to Siberia and the Far East as it puts modernisation on fast-forward, insists Dmitry Medvedev.
Fears for plan to stimulate Russian economy via major infrastructure links to Asia and Europe as Beijing announces rival scheme.
He emphasised the importance of the economically buoyant Asian-Pacific region as critical to the development of Russia as Western markets stall.
New rail bridge linking the two countries symbolizes closest-ever economic co-operation between neighbors.
A renaissance of one of Siberia's first outposts as the Far North becomes the new economic frontier.