HARBIN - The first Sino-Russian Heilongjiang River fishing festival will be held in July and December in border cities in northeast China's Heilongjiang province and Russia's Amur region, said a spokesman with local government on Tuesday.

The festival will be held respectively in summer and winter in Heihe city in Heilongjiang and Blagoveshchensk in Amur, said the spokesman with Heihe municipal government.

The fishing competition will be held on the Heilongjiang River and on one river in Blagoveshchensk, he added.

The Heilongjiang River is renowned for its abundant fish resources, including the turgeon, salmon and wild cyprinoid.

Aside from the fishing competition, there will also be recreational fishing activities, a gourmet festival with art performances held in both border cities.