The Settlement of Border Issues in Russia–China Relations: Features and Evolutionary Opportunities
( Pp. 182-190)
More about authors
Yi Cao
postgraduate student, Department of Political Science
Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
Abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the genesis of the institutionalization of the Russian–Chinese state border, the specifics of territorial dispute settlement, and the prospects for the further development of the border issue in Russian–Chinese relations. The study establishes that the formation of the Russian–Chinese border spans more than three centuries, evolving from the first treaty and legal instruments of the seventeenth century – the Nerchinsk Treaty (1689) and the Kyakhta Treaty (1727) – through a series of agreements of the Qing Empire period and the stage of Soviet–Chinese confrontation, towards the complete delimitation and demarcation of the frontier between 1991 and 2008. The analysis demonstrates that the transfer of Yinlundao (Tarabarov) Island and part of Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island to China in 2004–2008 ultimately eliminated the remaining territorial contradictions, although expert and public debate continues. It is concluded that under contemporary conditions, shaped by international pressure on Russia, the border issue has acquired a stabilizing character, while Russian–Chinese cross-border cooperation exhibits positive dynamics, including the introduction of a visa-free regime, the development of cross-border infrastructure, and the establishment of economic zones. At the same time, systemic constraints – such as bureaucratic barriers, demographic imbalance, and asymmetry of economic interests – continue to hinder the full realization of the potential of bilateral interaction.
How to Cite:
Cao, Yi. (2026). The settlement of border issues in Russia–China relations: Features and evolutionary opportunities. Sociopolitical Sciences, 16(2), 182–190. DOI: 10.33693/2223-0092-2026-16-2-182-190. EDN: QRFWED
Reference list:
Wang A., Kerimov A.A. Political and territorial settlement in Kazakhstan-China relations: From border delimitation to cross-border cooperation. Sociopolitical Sciences. 2026. Vol. 16. No. 1. Pp. 65–73. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.33693/2223-0092-2026-16-1-65-73. EDN: LUGZFK.
Volkova I.V. Xinjiang province in the Soviet-Chinese relations (1941-1942). Manuscript. 2019. Vol. 12. No. 3. Pp. 20–24. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.30853/manuscript.2019.3.3. EDN: PPLMGP.
Gerasimov D.I. Soviet-Chinese relations in 1919–1924: Formation of the Far Eastern knot of contradictions. Human Capital. 2022. No. 7 (163). Pp. 11–22. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.25629/HC.2022.07.01. EDN: VYTFLX.
Gubin A.V. Trans-border cooperation within Russia-China strategic partnership. Ojkumena. Regional Researches. 2022. No. 1 (60). Pp. 134–147. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.24866/1998-6785/2022-1/134-147. EDN: FDQRRG.
Dmitrieva M.O. Comparative analysis of border settlement of the Russian Federation with the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China. Ojkumena. Regional Researches. 2011. No. 3 (18). Pp. 40–48. (In Rus.). EDN: OYWSVP.
Dorokhov V.Zh. Frontier conflict of the USSR and the PRC of 1969: The political aspect. Modern Scientific Thought. 2017. No. 2. Pp. 91–100. (In Rus.). EDN: YODFJT.
Zalesskaya O.V. Russian-Chinese co-operation in the sphere of ecology in the Far East Border region. Social Novelties and Social Sciences. 2025. No. 1 (18). Pp. 67–78. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.31249/snsn/2025.01.04. EDN: CVXNZW.
Ide K. Negotiations between the U.S.S.R./Russia and China on the settlement of border issues. Polis. Political Studies. 2014. No. 3. Pp. 47–66. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2014.03.04.
Kovba D.M., Isakov A.S. Soft power: Reception of the concept by Asian states. Izvestia Ural Federal University Journal. Series 3: Social and Political Sciences. 2018. Vol. 13. No. 3 (179). Pp. 79–88. (In Rus.) EDN: YLHQKD.
Kravchevsky I.V. Joining Primorye and Amur region to Russia in the second half of the XIX century. Sciff. Questions of Students Science. 2020. No. 11 (51). Pp. 242–245. (In Rus.). EDN: LYWFJM.
Luzyanin S.G. Russian-Chinese “Borders” of security. what does the Beijing’s message of V.V. Putin and Xi Jinping mean? Asia and Africa Today. 2022. No. 2. Pp. 5–13. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750018790-1. EDN: GYYTZR.
Liu S., Chernikova L.P. A historical overview of Sino-Russian cooperation within the Shanghai Five (SCO): A view from China. Achievements and difficultie. Tomsk State University Journal of History. 2022. No. 80. Pp. 114–124. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.17223/19988613/80/13. EDN: TAKXQW.
Petrunina Zh.V. Russia on the banks of the Amur river: Towards the development of the Bolshoi Ussuriysky island in the Khabarovsk territory. Society: Philosophy, History, Culture. 2018. No. 5 (49). Pp. 48–51. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.24158/fik.2018.5.10. EDN: XNBMMP.
Savkovich E.V. Border settlement in the Western part of the People’s Republic of China in 1990–2000 (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan). Tomsk State University Journal. 2010. No. 336. Pp. 86–92. (In Rus.). EDN: NBKZFZ.
Soboleva S.V., Chudaeva O.V. China’s long-term lease of land – a threat to Russia’s national security. Russia: Trends and Development Prospects. 2016. No. 11-1. Pp. 194–197. (In Rus.). EDN: WXWKFH.
Suslov D.V. Russian-Chinese trade and joint projects in the Russian Far East. Regionalistics. 2022. Vol. 9. No. 2. Pp. 63–80. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.14530/reg.2022.2.63. EDN: LGCCAG.
Tkachenko B.I. Formation of the eastern part of Russian-Chinese frontier in legal documents of XIX – the beginning of XX centuries. Society and State in China. 2019. Vol. 49. No. 3. Pp. 284–296. (In Rus.). EDN: OJWDAM.
Cao Y., Kerimov A.A. Evolution and development trends of Russian-Chinese relations in the 21st century. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series: Political Science and Religion Studies. 2026. Vol. 55. Pp. 59–68. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.26516/2073-3380.2026.55.59. EDN: PGHZKR.
Jiang Y. The history of the question on the China-Russian border and the importance of its solution to strengthen state-to-state relations between Russia and China. World of Russian-Speaking Countries. 2020. No. 3 (5). Pp. 18–36. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.20323/2658-7866-2020-3-5-18-36. EDN: VGKQAW.
Zhang Y., Kerimov A.A. Similarities and differences in the Soft Power policies of China and Russia in the field of education. Sociopolitical Sciences. 2025. Vol. 15. No. 1. Pp. 43–50. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.33693/2223-0092-2025-15-1-43-50. EDN: IMPDWA.
Ekareva I.L. From the history of Russia’s colonization of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Bulletin of Chelyabinsk State University. 2009. No. 1. Pp. 95–103. (In Rus.). EDN: KHNYJL.
Chia N. Language translation and the treaty of Nerchinsk: Linguistic aspects of seventeenth-century Qing-Russian diplomacy. Journal of the European Association for Chinese Studies. 2025. Vol. 6. No. 2. Pp. 5–49. DOI: 10.25365/jeacs.2025.6.2.chia.
Volkova I.V. Xinjiang province in the Soviet-Chinese relations (1941-1942). Manuscript. 2019. Vol. 12. No. 3. Pp. 20–24. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.30853/manuscript.2019.3.3. EDN: PPLMGP.
Gerasimov D.I. Soviet-Chinese relations in 1919–1924: Formation of the Far Eastern knot of contradictions. Human Capital. 2022. No. 7 (163). Pp. 11–22. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.25629/HC.2022.07.01. EDN: VYTFLX.
Gubin A.V. Trans-border cooperation within Russia-China strategic partnership. Ojkumena. Regional Researches. 2022. No. 1 (60). Pp. 134–147. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.24866/1998-6785/2022-1/134-147. EDN: FDQRRG.
Dmitrieva M.O. Comparative analysis of border settlement of the Russian Federation with the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China. Ojkumena. Regional Researches. 2011. No. 3 (18). Pp. 40–48. (In Rus.). EDN: OYWSVP.
Dorokhov V.Zh. Frontier conflict of the USSR and the PRC of 1969: The political aspect. Modern Scientific Thought. 2017. No. 2. Pp. 91–100. (In Rus.). EDN: YODFJT.
Zalesskaya O.V. Russian-Chinese co-operation in the sphere of ecology in the Far East Border region. Social Novelties and Social Sciences. 2025. No. 1 (18). Pp. 67–78. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.31249/snsn/2025.01.04. EDN: CVXNZW.
Ide K. Negotiations between the U.S.S.R./Russia and China on the settlement of border issues. Polis. Political Studies. 2014. No. 3. Pp. 47–66. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2014.03.04.
Kovba D.M., Isakov A.S. Soft power: Reception of the concept by Asian states. Izvestia Ural Federal University Journal. Series 3: Social and Political Sciences. 2018. Vol. 13. No. 3 (179). Pp. 79–88. (In Rus.) EDN: YLHQKD.
Kravchevsky I.V. Joining Primorye and Amur region to Russia in the second half of the XIX century. Sciff. Questions of Students Science. 2020. No. 11 (51). Pp. 242–245. (In Rus.). EDN: LYWFJM.
Luzyanin S.G. Russian-Chinese “Borders” of security. what does the Beijing’s message of V.V. Putin and Xi Jinping mean? Asia and Africa Today. 2022. No. 2. Pp. 5–13. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750018790-1. EDN: GYYTZR.
Liu S., Chernikova L.P. A historical overview of Sino-Russian cooperation within the Shanghai Five (SCO): A view from China. Achievements and difficultie. Tomsk State University Journal of History. 2022. No. 80. Pp. 114–124. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.17223/19988613/80/13. EDN: TAKXQW.
Petrunina Zh.V. Russia on the banks of the Amur river: Towards the development of the Bolshoi Ussuriysky island in the Khabarovsk territory. Society: Philosophy, History, Culture. 2018. No. 5 (49). Pp. 48–51. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.24158/fik.2018.5.10. EDN: XNBMMP.
Savkovich E.V. Border settlement in the Western part of the People’s Republic of China in 1990–2000 (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan). Tomsk State University Journal. 2010. No. 336. Pp. 86–92. (In Rus.). EDN: NBKZFZ.
Soboleva S.V., Chudaeva O.V. China’s long-term lease of land – a threat to Russia’s national security. Russia: Trends and Development Prospects. 2016. No. 11-1. Pp. 194–197. (In Rus.). EDN: WXWKFH.
Suslov D.V. Russian-Chinese trade and joint projects in the Russian Far East. Regionalistics. 2022. Vol. 9. No. 2. Pp. 63–80. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.14530/reg.2022.2.63. EDN: LGCCAG.
Tkachenko B.I. Formation of the eastern part of Russian-Chinese frontier in legal documents of XIX – the beginning of XX centuries. Society and State in China. 2019. Vol. 49. No. 3. Pp. 284–296. (In Rus.). EDN: OJWDAM.
Cao Y., Kerimov A.A. Evolution and development trends of Russian-Chinese relations in the 21st century. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series: Political Science and Religion Studies. 2026. Vol. 55. Pp. 59–68. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.26516/2073-3380.2026.55.59. EDN: PGHZKR.
Jiang Y. The history of the question on the China-Russian border and the importance of its solution to strengthen state-to-state relations between Russia and China. World of Russian-Speaking Countries. 2020. No. 3 (5). Pp. 18–36. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.20323/2658-7866-2020-3-5-18-36. EDN: VGKQAW.
Zhang Y., Kerimov A.A. Similarities and differences in the Soft Power policies of China and Russia in the field of education. Sociopolitical Sciences. 2025. Vol. 15. No. 1. Pp. 43–50. (In Rus.). DOI: 10.33693/2223-0092-2025-15-1-43-50. EDN: IMPDWA.
Ekareva I.L. From the history of Russia’s colonization of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Bulletin of Chelyabinsk State University. 2009. No. 1. Pp. 95–103. (In Rus.). EDN: KHNYJL.
Chia N. Language translation and the treaty of Nerchinsk: Linguistic aspects of seventeenth-century Qing-Russian diplomacy. Journal of the European Association for Chinese Studies. 2025. Vol. 6. No. 2. Pp. 5–49. DOI: 10.25365/jeacs.2025.6.2.chia.
Keywords:
Russia, China, territorial dispute, state border, delimitation, demarcation, cross-border cooperation, post-Soviet space, Amur River.
