CHANGCHUN, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Hemmed in by Russia's frozen coastline and the secluded mountains of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the small border city of Hunchun in northeast China's Jilin Province seems an unlikely place to catch the scent of salt air, yet the sea, somehow, finds a way.

Almost every morning, long before sunrise, a convoy of trucks bearing images of king crabs rumbles through the customs checkpoint. Inside their intelligent, climate-controlled tanks, live crustaceans plucked from Pacific depths hundreds of miles away begin their final journey to Shanghai penthouse dinners, Chengdu banquets, and seafood buffets in Beijing.

This is the paradox powering China's seafood map: a remote, landlocked backwater that now supplies 80 percent of the country's luxury king crabs. Each year, more than 1.5 million of them pass through Hunchun's unassuming checkpoint. It's a staggering feat for a modest city tucked at the junction of China, Russia and the DPRK, and serving as Jilin's sole gateway to Russia.

It's also a story of survival and thriving against the odds. In a city cut off from the sea, the ocean's most prized luxury has become both an economic lifeline and a local legend. It stands as a testament to borders that divide and to the ingenuity that overcomes them.

FROM CARGO TO CUISINE

Seven years ago, Wang Hai quit his job in Shanghai, convinced that his remote hometown held untapped potential. Now, every week or so, he collects shipments at the Hunchun Port, coordinating the transport of fresh Russian king crab across China via road, rail and air.

"With a location like this, not getting into the seafood trade would be a real missed opportunity," Wang said. Back then, his bet defied logic. Today, inside the Hunchun Northeast Asia Cross-border E-commerce Industrial Park, his king crab exhibition hall has drawn over 500,000 visitors in less than two years of operation, with sales exceeding 10 million yuan (about 1.4 million U.S. dollars).

Sitting just 42 km from Russia's Posyet Port and 71 km from Zarubino Port, Hunchun was approved as an official entry point for imported chilled seafood and aquatic products in 2016, becoming a key gateway for Russian king crab into China. Its marine economic development demonstration zone was launched in September 2020.

To succeed in the king crab trade, survival hinges on a delicate balance of ice and oxygen. With high costs and unpredictable harvest seasons, trading live king crabs is full of risks. When Wang first started, he paid a steep price for the lessons learned. King crabs must be transported at a precisely controlled temperature no higher than minus one degree Celsius, with constant oxygen supply, an almost impossible task without technological support.

That's where the "intelligent special care and transportation containers" came in. Zhu Yang, general manager of Hunchun Jidian Digital Border Trade Technology Service Co., Ltd., attributed the company's 20 percent growth in the first quarter to the use of these smart containers.

"On the Shanghai-bound route, for example," Zhu said. "The use of new containers has boosted survival rates to 97 percent and slashed transit time from 45 hours to just 37." Streamlined customs checks, priority clearance for live seafood, and extended operating hours have cut border wait times, benefiting local seafood traders.

Where port paperwork ends, Hunchun's 145-meter-long seafood street begins. On either side, more than 20 seafood shops, from bustling restaurants to busy wholesalers, serve up the salty tang of fresh catch and the smoky aroma of charcoal grills. King crab, abalone, Arctic surf clams, and sea cucumbers are sold with options for on-site cooking, vacuum packing, and cold-chain delivery. Most shop owners are in their 20s and 30s, luring a growing crowd with livestreaming, bold menus and entrepreneurial flair.

The signature combo of "king crab and seafood barbeque" fuels the frenzy. Local restaurateur Qi Yue saw his place serving over 1,000 tables during the five-day May Day holiday, with every group ordering king crabs. Online orders alone topped 800. "We made over 150,000 yuan in net earnings per day during the May Day holiday," he said.

At another seafood shop, Fisherman's Wharf, owner Tai Lina said king crab is their top seller. "We've had a big wave of out-of-town visitors lately," she said, busy juggling orders while greeting customers. "Many dine in, then take a few boxes home. Our seafood gift boxes are really popular."

CLAWS, CULTURE, CRABONOMICS

Wang Hai knew sustaining craze required more than claws. "King crab already sells itself, but the market still has plenty of room to grow," he said.

His 1,000-square-meter king crab showroom has become an unexpected tourist attraction, blending livestream e-commerce with live displays. Visitors watch crabs housed in tanks filled with "original seawater," beneath screens showing footage of Russian fishing expeditions. Some even try their hand at catching a crab to prepare in the kitchen.

Visitors can also explore king crab specimens, crafts made from real shells, and a variety of creative cultural merchandise such as crab-shaped backpacks, stationery and ice cream.

"I never expected to find king crab culture in a small border town like this," said Yang Shuyao, a tourist from north China's Shanxi Province, who picked out a crab-shaped backpack and plush toy. "My kid learned a lot about marine life."

The king crab-themed products are custom-designed by a team hired by Wang, who sees them as a more accessible way for visitors to take a piece of the experience home. To him, crabs are expensive and not everyone buys one. But a crab-themed souvenir is how their story travels far beyond.

Livestreams from the crab tanks drive sales nationwide. Hosts showcase the size and freshness of the Russian-sourced catch, while staff pack orders right beside bubbling tanks. "We can sell more than 100 live crabs every day in just two hours through livestreaming. Customers from Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan receive their orders within 24 hours," said Wang, who is considering adding more livestreams to meet the surging demand.

In 2024, Jilin promoted the scenic G331 border expressway, drawing self-driving tourists to Hunchun, its easternmost stop. Wang's king crab-themed merchandise is now sold at key stopovers along the route, recommended by local tourism authorities.

Slogans like "King Crabs in Hunchun Misses You" and "Grab a Claw, Take it Home" feature on popular products. A standout is the "claw bag," crafted from 15 types of deep-sea crab legs. Playing on the Chinese homophone for "claw" and "money," it's been a hit with visitors.

As Hunchun accelerates its "smart port" construction and expands its rail links, Mayor Zhang Linguo envisions a transformed identity, noting that "achieving king crab freedom" has become the city's new calling card.

Wang Hai has bigger plans. He's in talks with companies across China to open king crab showrooms outside the province, and is also exploring opportunities to develop deep-processed king crab products.