China News Service, Mudanjiang, February 14th: Title: Policeman Wang Zhigang: "Little King" turned into "Old King" and stuck to the Sino-Russian border river for 27 years

　　Author Jiang Hui Li Shuming

　　At the beginning of the new year, early in the morning, Wang Zhigang, a policeman from the Daduchuan Border Police Station of the Mudanjiang Border Management Detachment of the Heilongjiang Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station, rushed to the police station and prepared to drive to Liangzichuantun, 55 kilometers away, to patrol the border. Liangzichuantun is the source of the Hubutu River, the border river between China and Russia, and is separated from Russia by only one river. For 27 years, Wang Zhigang has regarded this place as his second "home". Patrolling, visiting border residents, mediating conflicts and disputes... He lost count of how many pairs of shoes he broke, and the villagers' name for him changed from "Little Wang" to "Old Wang".

Police officer Wang Zhigang (first from left) from the Daduchuan Border Police Station of the Mudanjiang Border Management Detachment and his colleagues walk along the bank of the border river between China and Russia. Photo by Xue Wenxin

　　"Border patrols are also dangerous. This is located in the Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park area. There are many wild animals in the mountains. Border patrols must be accompanied by at least three or four people." At around 9 o'clock, Wang Zhigang arrived at Liangzichuantun with two border guards. The border here is 21.6 kilometers long from north to south with the village as the midpoint, and it is all a waterway boundary.

　　The patrol car drove to 5 kilometers away from the boundary marker. Because the snow was too thick, Wang Zhigang and his colleagues could only walk hard in the knee-deep snow.

Wang Zhigang, a policeman from the Daduchuan Border Police Station of the Mudanjiang Border Management Detachment, inspects the barbed wire fence during a border patrol. Photo by Xue Wenxin

　　"Even though the village is not big, we still need to walk across the border. The vehicle and foot patrols will not be able to get off in a whole morning." It was windy in the mountains, and the "big smoke cannons" wrapped in snow often made people blind. Within half an hour, Wang Zhigang's eyebrows and the brim of his hat were covered with frost, and his hands were red from the cold. Every time they patrol, Wang Zhigang and his colleagues have to walk more than 10 kilometers. After entering the winter hunting season, border patrols like this have become normal for Wang Zhigang and his colleagues.

　　"Everyone, be careful. There may be traps nearby, so don't step on them!" Wang Zhigang's reminder suddenly came from the creaking footsteps. Following the direction of Wang Zhigang's finger, a steel wire snare was tied between two small trees. "The animals will get tighter and tighter when they are trapped, and they can't escape at all. What's even more frightening is that sometimes there are stepping traps on the ground, and the steel teeth have a strong bite force." , whether animals or people step on them, they will be maimed or injured." Wang Zhigang said that everyone braved the wind and snow to carry out frontline patrols at the border. They must not only search for hunting traps set by illegal personnel, but also always pay attention to disturbances on the border. When encountering people arriving at the border, they must step forward to inspect and persuade people to return.

Wang Zhigang, a policeman from the Daduchuan Border Police Station of the Mudanjiang Border Management Detachment, checks the documents of border residents. Photo by Xue Wenxin

　　After removing the steel wire cover, the group continued to set off, and before they knew it, they came to the "kettle" water area of ​​the Hubutu River. Wang Zhigang told reporters that 200 to 300 people come here for leisure travel every month in summer and autumn. During that period, the police are most busy urging people to return and patrolling to prevent cross-border incidents.

　　During the days of guarding the border, Wang Zhigang also mobilized the masses to jointly defend the border. He divided Liangzichuantun into "four small blocks", and each "block" had border guards and voluntary patrol people to coordinate the work.

　　"Our border guards are all good!" Wang Zhigang told reporters. Border guard Shan Baochen insisted on duty while taking care of his elderly and sick mother, and was never idle or late; Shen fell into the boundary river, and his clothes and pants were soaked in water and turned into "ice armor". He struggled to return to the village step by step without making a sound of pain...

　　Unknowingly, the sun had risen in the sky, and Wang Zhigang and his colleagues completed their patrol mission. On the way back, everyone's faces looked a little tired and their underwear was soaked with sweat. However, looking at the safe and sound inspection records, it was bittersweet. (over)