Russian Far Eastern Border Regions and Chinese Immigration. Historical, Economic and Social Determinants of Cooperation

Abstract

Since the collapse of Soviet Union, local and federal authorities in Russia are facing with two interrelated problems: economic transformation in the region and involvement of Russian Far East in the integration processes in North—East Asia as an equal trade partner. Both issues are associated with dynamic economic growth in China and high transborder activity of Chinese migrants. Problems such as shuttle trade on a large scale, illegal or half-legal employment of immigrants in Russian Far East and specific structure of trade (goods and services from China in exchange for raw materials from Russia) reveal the need for new forms of regional governance in this area. On current stage of globalization the consistent and transparent development strategy of depopulated and economically weakned Russian Far East requires taking account of Chinese potential. Many inhabitants of borderland, previously indoctrinated by the Soviet authorities, still consider the Chinese as an enemies. Th  erefore, adaptation to the new conditions should involve legal and economic reforms on the one hand and mental changes in Russian society on the other.