Chinanews.com, Mohe, January 22, title: -50°C They guard the "coldest New Year's Eve" in the northernmost part of China
Author Sun Bocheng Jiang Hui
"Everyone put on what they can wear, especially to keep the soles of their feet warm, they must have two pairs of insoles."
January 21 was New Year's Eve. Xu Kening looked at the weather forecast on his mobile phone and checked the hats, gloves, socks, and cotton shoes of the three policemen, Xiao Jun, Du Ruifeng, and Wang Xudong, before leading the team out on patrol.
Mohe is located in the northern part of Heilongjiang Province. It is the northernmost city in China. It is also the city with the highest latitude and the lowest temperature in China. It is called "the North Pole of China" and "the crown of the golden rooster".
Police hats and scarves were covered with frost.
Photo by Sun Bocheng
Even though it is New Year's Eve, border inspections still cannot be relaxed.
As the deputy director of the Arctic Border Police Station of the Daxinganling Border Management Detachment of the Heilongjiang Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection General Station, Xu Kening briefly introduced the work arrangements. The patrol area that day started from the Arctic Village in Mohe City, passed through the Arctic Sandbank, and reached the No. 137 boundary pillar. Xiao Jun drove.
Beyond the Arctic sandbar are river roads and mountain forests, which need to be reached on foot.
It's cold, and the cold wind blows on the face with a knife-like feeling.
As soon as they went out, the police were "shocked" by the extreme cold.
Wang Xudong touched his face subconsciously, blinked his eyes, and took a breath. Everything was fine, but the shoes on his feet were stuck on the hard ice and snow road, and it was difficult to take a step without exerting some strength.
"The lowest temperature is minus 50 degrees Celsius and the highest temperature is minus 32 degrees Celsius. This is the coldest New Year's Eve in more than 50 years."
Xu Kening told reporters that the annual average temperature in Mohe is only -3.8°C, and the extreme low temperature reaches -52.3°C.
The police patrol the Arctic Square.
Photo by Sun Bocheng
On the way to the Arctic sandbar, the wheels of the patrol car kept skidding, and it was difficult to move forward under the snow.
Even though the car was driving very slowly, an accident still happened. The tire hit a piece of "ice" and skidded. Xiao Jun turned the steering wheel quickly, and the patrol car stopped shaking.
Xiao Jun, who has 18 years of driving experience, got out of the car to check the tires and continued to patrol.
After arriving at the Arctic sandbar, the policemen walked along the frozen Heilongjiang River, which is the Sino-Russian border.
Long icicles, like ice swords, were inserted obliquely on the river in all directions. The exhalation of the policemen turned into wisps of "white smoke", which was soon condensed into hoarfrost and hung on their hats.
The cold here is different from other places. There is no howling north wind or furious blizzard, but it is so cold that the world is only quiet.
"I have been at the police station for 4 years, and I have been fighting the severe cold." Xiao Jun is from Zaoyang, Hubei, and worked in Wenzhou, Zhejiang for 14 years.
Xiao Jun said that there are only two seasons in Mohe every year, one is winter and the other is around winter.
The policemen took small steps, but they walked firmly.
In 2022, in order to advance the policing, the Arctic Border Police Station will set up the Jiangshang Police Office near the "North Point of China" in Beihong Village. The police teams of Xu Kening and Xiao Jun will work in the Jiangshang Police Office.
Police patrol the boundary markers.
Photo by Sun Bocheng
"When the barges are in place next year, the conditions for duty will be even better."
Xu Kening said that during the inspection of the border river in winter, danger will occur at any time.
At the end of November 2021, Shi Xianqiang, a policeman, led border guards to inspect the Jiejiang River. The entire river was covered in snow just after the snow fell, and the border guards accidentally stepped into an ice hole. Did not fall.
The average age of the 23 policemen at the Arctic Border Police Station is only 30 years old. They use their youth to fight against the severe cold and protect the safety of "Shenzhou Arctic".
Du Ruifeng, a policeman, said: "There are only barren frontiers, but no desolate youth. You can make contributions in the North Pole."
Xu Kening and his comrades warmed their youth with perseverance, and built a safe border town with no major vicious cases for 19 consecutive years.
The Arctic Border Police Station was also awarded the honorary title of "Model Frontier Police Station Guarding the Border for the People" by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.
On the way back from the patrol, a row of red lanterns meandered for 2 kilometers on the street lights on the side of the road.
In Arctic Village, every household is also hung with red lanterns.
Walking during this time, it is like walking through Chang'an in the flourishing Tang Dynasty. The smiles on the faces of the villagers and the smoke from the kitchen under the white snow all reveal the prosperity and happiness of life.
"This is the meaning of our patrol and protection." Xu Kening said.
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