Council under the President of the Russian Federation for the development of civil society and human rights. What lands did Russia lease to China? Demarcation of the Russian-Chinese border

In 2008, Russia transferred Tarabarova Island and part of Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island to China.

Why did this happen? The liberal public and some of the most emotional patriots have presented and are presenting what happened as a “unilateral” and “unfounded” concession on the part of our country in relation to China.

It is difficult to agree that the concession of 174 sq. m. km. Russian territory is the success of our diplomacy.

However, gentlemen, journalists who shout “about selling Russia’s interests”, however, as always, act in opportunistic interests and greatly simplify the problem. Let's try to figure out what made the Russian President do this. And the history of the issue dates back to 1858.

Until 1858, the modern Amur Region, the Jewish Autonomous Region, the southern part of the Khabarovsk Territory and the Primorsky Territory, according to the Nerchinsk Treaty of Russia and China in 1689, were, as it were, “neutral territory”. Then this suited both states.

However, with the beginning of the confrontation between Russia and England (after the Napoleonic Wars), the situation with the significance of the modern territory of the Amur region begins to change. The danger of these territories being occupied by the British and French was growing, and then, having a kind of “wedge” jutting into the continent, the sea powers could successfully launch a fight against both mainland China and mainland Russia.

The consequences of such a development of events were well represented by the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia N.N. Muravyov: “There was a not unfounded assumption that the British would occupy the mouth of the Amur,” reported N.N. on February 25, 1849. Muravyov to Emperor Nicholas I.

What kind of forces and resources will be required from the government then so that Eastern Siberia does not become English, when there is an English fortress at the mouth of the Amur, and English ships sail along the Amur to Nerchinsk and even to Chita?

If, instead of an English fortress, there was a Russian fortress at the mouth of the Amur, as well as in the port of Peter and Paul in Kamchatka, and a flotilla sailed between them, and for greater precautions, that in these fortresses and on the flotilla the garrisons, crew and authorities were delivered from within Russia, then With these small funds, Russia would be assured of possession of Siberia and all its inexhaustible riches for eternity.

The Crimean War and the ongoing Opium Wars in China clearly demonstrated that if the Russians do not occupy the Amur region, then the British will do it or, in extreme cases, the French, following in the wake of their policies.

Being a talented politician and having authority from the emperor, Governor-General N. N. Muravyov initiated the conclusion of a new treaty on borders with China. According to the Aigun Treaty of May 16, 1858, the entire left bank of the Amur, right up to the mouth of the river, was given to Russia.

A direct addition to the agreement was the Treaty of Beijing, concluded between Russia and China on November 2 (14), 1860, as part of a series of treaties between China and European countries in Beijing, which was burned and looted by the British and French. The border between the two countries was established along the Amur, Ussuri and Sungari, through lake. Khanka, up to the river Tumindzyan.

Russia, thus, finally secured the Ussuri region. The western border between the two countries was also fixed. The agreement provided for the subsequent determination of the border on the ground, both in its eastern and western sections.

According to the agreement, the eastern border between Russia and China was established starting from the confluence of the Shilka and Argun rivers, downstream the river. Amur to the place where the river flows into it. Ussuri. The treaty avoided the issue of ownership of the islands. However, as part of the demarcation work, the Russian side drew up and attached to the agreement a map with a scale of 25 versts per inch, attached to the text of the Beijing Treaty.

An indication of the presence of such a map is in Article 1 of the text of the treaty, which reads: “In addition, in pursuance of the ninth article of the Tianjin Treaty, a compiled map is approved, on which the boundary line, for greater clarity, is marked with a red line and its direction is shown in letters of the Russian alphabet: A, B, C, D, D, E, G, 3, I, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U. This map is signed by the authorized representatives of both states and sealed with their seals "

It was on this map that Count N.P. Ignatiev drew the border line in red pencil along the Chinese bank of the Amur and Ussuri rivers, and in the Khabarovsk region along the Kazakevichev channel. However, at the conclusion of the Beijing Treaty, the Chinese representative Prince Gong refused to sign this map, and in 1861 - 1886. a description of the border line was compiled only on its section from the mouth of the river. Ussuri to the mouth of the river. Foggy, which seriously confused the matter of demarcating the state border along the Amur River.

Thus, the Beijing Treaty provided for gradual work on border demarcation. This work was carried out in Primorye, Central Asia, on the Argun, but on the Amur, until the beginning of the 1990s, no work was carried out to demarcate the state border; only a general delimitation line was recorded.

Thus, although this is surprising, Russia and China did not define a clear border on the Amur for various reasons for more than 100 years - from 1860 to 1990.

All this gave rise to a lot of controversy and difficulties. The Beijing Treaty did not say anything about the ownership of the islands; the Chinese representative, according to the terms of the treaty, did not sign the map.

However, the Emperor of China approved the decree along with the map. In addition, the agreement indicated that the border runs downstream of the river. Amur to the place where the river flows into it. Ussuri. The question arose of what should be considered the confluence of the Ussuri River and the Amur. Even among Russian scientists there was no unity on what should be considered the mouth of the river. Ussuri: points located in the area of ​​the station. Kazakevicheva or in the Khabarovsk region.

However, understanding the strategic importance of these islands for the then military post of Khabarovka, Russia immediately established control over the islands of Bolshoy Ussuriysky and Tarabarov. To avoid border conflicts, all activities on the islands were limited to haymaking.

To fix the line of the state border on the ground, the Russian-Chinese demarcation commission in 1861, on the Chinese coast opposite the village of Kazakevicheva, installed a wooden post with the letter “E”, which had coordinates 48º16’20”N. and 152º37′ E. In 1886, the wooden pillar was replaced by a stone one, installed in the same place.

On the “Map of China and the Amur River Coast” (1859) and “Map of Manchuria” (1897), published in Russia, the archipelago was designated as Russian territory. Despite this, the Chinese side has repeatedly made claims to the archipelago, accusing the other side of deception and unauthorized removal of the demarcation pillar.

However, before the outbreak of the First World War, the demarcation of the state border along the Amur was not carried out. For example, according to the instructions of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the coastal population in 1911 was asked to “use those islands that they recognize as belonging to them, regardless of the protests of the Chinese,” until the end of the demarcation.

In addition, determining the boundary along the main fairway (based on the maximum depth of the channel) on the Amur and Ussuri was very difficult. The point is in the peculiarities of their flow. These rivers carry a lot of silt, which constantly settles on the bottom - and, naturally, exactly where the main river flow goes, that is, along the fairway. As a result, the river fairway shifts every now and then.

There are quite a few islands on the rivers. As a rule, silt settles on one side of the island, and on the other side, at the same time, bottom sediments are washed away by the current. Therefore, the fairway continually passes from one side of the island to the other. Thus, the island, which until recently was considered to belong to one of the parties, according to the fairway rule, turns out to belong to the other.

Based on this principle, it is not at all possible to determine the ownership of the Bolshoy Ussuriysky and Tarabarov islands. Since there was no clear understanding of what is considered the main fairway. This feature of the Amur and Ussuri rivers was used by the Chinese side in conducting “irrigation wars” in the area of ​​Bolshoy Ussuriysk and Tarabarov, with a serious aggravation of relations with the USSR under Khrushchev, and subsequently under.

The meaning was simple: the Chinese sank barges with sand in the Kazakevichev channel, increasing its siltation, which subsequently caused the channel to move to the north and the automatic annexation of the disputed islands to Chinese territory. Accordingly, we carried out dredging work. Some funny things happened: the Chinese filled up the channel at night, and we deepened it during the day.

It was with such a baggage of contradictions that the state border existed throughout the years of the First World War, the revolution and the civil war in Russia.

In 1929, using the conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway as a pretext, our troops occupied the Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island. Being in close proximity to Khabarovsk and not previously controlled by our troops, the island could be used to shell the city, where industry was beginning to be built.

In 1931, Manchuria was occupied by the Japanese. In light of these events, a military presence on the islands was simply necessary. In addition, the USSR took control of almost all the islands on the Amur and Ussuri. Actually, the border remained in this position until the creation of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The young state owed a lot to the USSR; in addition, the general ideology and competent policy towards China of the Stalinist USSR did not give rise to a border problem.

The PRC and the USSR acted as a united front in the fight against a common enemy - the Anglo-Saxon powers. On February 14, 1950, in Moscow, the Soviet-Chinese Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance was signed for a period of 30 years, designed, according to I.V. Stalin "to serve the cause of ensuring peace in the Far East against any and all aggressors and warmongers."

In accordance with the Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, Mutual Assistance (1950), the Soviet-Chinese border, before the start of the revision of bilateral relations, was the border of good neighborliness, where active ties were maintained between the population of the border areas, lively trade was conducted, and cultural exchange was established.

Cooperation agreements were concluded in a number of border areas, including the “Agreement on the procedure for navigation along the border rivers Amur, Ussuri, Argun, Sungacha, and Lake. Khanka and about establishing a navigation situation on these waterways" (1951), about forestry, about joint fight against forest fires in border areas, etc. Within the framework of these agreements, the actually protected border line was not questioned.

The absence of complaints from the Chinese comrades is confirmed by the transfer to the PRC of topographic maps indicating the entire border line. There were no comments from the Chinese side regarding the border line.

Problems began with the death of Stalin and Khrushchev's rise to power. From this example, one can clearly recognize the consequences of a country’s leader not understanding the canons of geopolitics. This “projector” managed to lose a number of positions to the Anglo-Saxon powers over the course of several years and greatly spoil relations with allied China.

However, until 1960, China did not make territorial claims. It was this year that the long-standing and unresolved territorial issue began to arise, as a reflection of the general sharp deterioration in relations between the countries. In whose interests? In the interests of the United States, of course.

In 1960, the USSR unexpectedly recalled Soviet specialists from China and almost simultaneously the first episode on the border occurred, which showed the existence of disagreements between the USSR and China on the issue of the border line and the ownership of certain sections.

We are talking about an incident in 1960, when Chinese herders were grazing livestock in territory under Soviet jurisdiction (in the area of ​​the Buz-Aigyr pass in Kyrgyzstan). When the Soviet border guards arrived, the shepherds declared that they were on the territory of the People's Republic of China. It later turned out that they were acting on a directive from the authorities of their province.

On this occasion, the foreign ministries of China and the USSR sent each other several notes and made oral statements, in which for the first time since the founding of the PRC, a different understanding of the border line with the Soviet Union was revealed at the official, diplomatic level.

Since the autumn of 1960, systematic exits of Chinese citizens to the islands on the border rivers of the Far East, which are under our control, began. They told the Soviet border guards that they were on Chinese territory. The reaction of Soviet border guards to incidents also changed. If previously they simply ignored the trades of Chinese peasants in a number of territories under Soviet jurisdiction, then, starting in 1960, they tried to suppress them.

In the current situation, the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee decided to create an interdepartmental commission consisting of specialists from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the KGB and the Ministry of Defense, whose task was to select and study treaty acts on the border with the PRC. The commission identified 13 areas where there were discrepancies on the maps of the parties and 12 where the distribution of islands was not carried out.

The border line itself was not clearly marked on the ground, because Of the 141 border markers, 40 were preserved in their original form, 77 were in a destroyed state, and 24 were missing altogether. It was also noted that the description of the boundary in treaty acts is often general in nature, and many treaty maps are drawn up on a small scale at a primitive level.

In general, according to the conclusion of the commission, it was noted that the entire border line with the PRC, except for the section in the Pamirs south of the Uz-Bel pass, was determined by treaties. In the case of border negotiations, the commission proposed drawing the border not along the banks of rivers, but along the line of the middle of the main fairway on navigable rivers and along the line of the middle of the river on non-navigable rivers, and not as it was indicated by the red line on the map attached to the Beijing Treaty, according to which the border ran along the Chinese coast.

That is, the border was defined very approximately; its new demarcation was necessary. The uncertainty of the border on the ground provided an excellent reason for creating conflict situations.

And China actively used the border problem as a reason for conflicts. Statistics of violations showed that from 1960 to 1964 their number grew rapidly, and in the second half of the 60s the incidents became more acute. In 1960, the number of violations was about 100, in 1962 there were already about 5 thousand. In 1963, more than 100 thousand Chinese civilians and military personnel took part in illegally crossing the Soviet-Chinese border.

Thus, Khrushchev’s quarrel with China marked the beginning of a very difficult and painful process of demarcation of the entire state border.

Under Khrushchev, in February 1964, consultations with the PRC on border issues began. Moreover, the Chinese put forward obviously unrealistic demands. Thus, China demanded that the Beijing and Aigun treaties be recognized as “unequal.” Here it is necessary to understand that China’s task at that time was not to resolve territorial disputes, but to aggravate them and provoke a conflict, demonstrating to the United States its determination to confront the USSR.

In April 1964, the parties exchanged topographic maps indicating their understanding of the border line and created a working group, after which they began to directly consider the border line.

As a result of studying Chinese maps and comparing them with Soviet ones, it was found that there are discrepancies in drawing the border line on these maps in 22 areas, of which 17 are located on the western part of the Soviet-Chinese border (now the Central Asian republics of the former USSR) and 5 areas on eastern part of the border.

These areas approximately coincided with the areas that the interdepartmental commission indicated in its note in 1960. Three more areas were indicated on the Chinese maps, which were not included in the commission’s materials, including a fairly large area in the area of ​​the Bedel Pass (Kyrgyzstan), as well as islands near Khabarovsk.

Based on the results of reviewing the maps in Moscow, it was concluded that it was possible to hold negotiations not on individual sections, as previously assumed, but along the entire border, as the Chinese delegation insisted. This approach became possible because along most of the length of the border line there were no vital differences in the border.

Along the longest line that required clarification—the river border in the Far East—the parties had the same understanding that the border had to run along the main fairway. In this regard, the delegation was given additional instructions - to confirm the border line in areas where the parties understand it equally.

So, let us remember that the border problem was initiated by Khrushchev, who threw mud at Stalin, who was an indisputable authority for Mao Zedong, and committed a number of unfriendly actions towards China. The result of Khrushchev’s short-sighted policy was the fighting on Damansky Island, as well as in Kazakhstan and, most importantly, China’s turn from friendship and cooperation with the USSR to the USA. Which in many ways determined our geopolitical defeat in the early 1990s. The border issue was a consequence of this policy.

Further events developed as follows. During Gorbachev's time, during negotiations in 1987 - 1991, which culminated in the signing of the 1991 Soviet-Chinese Border Agreement, it was established that the border on the Amur should pass along the main fairway of the river. Under this agreement, many islands previously controlled by the USSR, including Damansky Island, became Chinese territory.

Now the question. Does anyone remember the angry articles by liberals about how Gorbachev is selling his homeland and giving China several dozen “original Russian islands” at once? Nevertheless, here Mikhail Sergeevich, with his passion for unilateral concessions, still helped resolve the long-term border problem, largely initiated by Khrushchev’s policies.

However, this agreement bypassed the solution to the border problem near the islands in the Khabarovsk region. The southernmost channel between China and the islands of Tarabarov and Bolshoy Ussuriysky is the Kazakevich channel.

If we consider it the confluence of the Ussuri and the Amur, then all the islands are Russian territory. And if we consider the confluence of the Ussuri and the Amur to be a place north of the Big Ussuri Island, then the islands are completely Chinese territory. And this option is unacceptable for Russia, since then the border will pass right in the immediate vicinity of Khabarovsk (the left bank will be the Chinese bank, and Khabarovsk will be on the right).

In fact, this was the last unresolved territorial dispute with China (together with the island of Abagaituy on the Argun) at the time President Putin took office. It is now necessary to understand the geopolitical context in which Putin acted in the early 2000s.

From 2003 to 2004, Vladimir Putin initiates an object lesson for those who want to give Russian mineral resources under the control of US monopolies and, by order of the Americans, buy up the State Duma (the YUKOS case and the imprisonment of Khodorkovsky), repeals the essentially colonial law on the PSA (Partition Agreement products), introduces the mineral extraction tax (“Tax on Mineral Resources”, which fills the current state budget).

Then Putin takes the next step. In October, Russian-Chinese negotiations open in Beijing, at which, along with a number of unpublished agreements, additional agreements are signed that resolve all existing territorial disputes between Russia and China.

Since in the case of the Khabarovsk Islands it was impossible to apply the principle of delimitation along the fairway, the parties agreed to divide the Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island into the southern Chinese and northern (most developed) Russian parts. In addition, in exchange for the northern part of Bolshoy Ussuriysk, we ceded half of the Abagaituy island on Argun. A new principle was applied - territories were divided according to landmarks on the ground.

Through the cries of liberals “about trade in the Motherland,” the fact was “missed” that for the first time in the history of Russia and China, all claims and controversial issues were removed from the entire length of 4,300 km of the Russian-Chinese border.

Of course, the transfer of part of the islands cannot be clearly called a success, and I am far from the idea of ​​justifying our President, but for some reason untruthful journalists do not say that the situation with the state border that developed in the early 2000s was inherited by Putin from Khrushchev and Gorbachev. Where the first quarreled with our main geopolitical ally, as a result of which a territorial issue was initiated, and the second successfully solved this problem, finally ruining the country he led.

As a result, the Russian Federation, in terms of strength and influence in the world, and most importantly, the presence of trump cards in the negotiations in 2004, was far from the Stalinist USSR of the 1952 model. In 1952, a border agreement could have been concluded on terms favorable to us, since the space for diplomatic bargaining was incomparably wider.

Was it possible to resolve the territorial issue in the conditions of our time somehow differently? This is a big question. The transfer of part of the island near Khabarovsk was the result of almost 150 years of history of our victories and defeats, the strengthening and weakening of Russia, and was not a “one-time concession on the part of Russia.”

So why do liberal journalists and overly emotional patriots scold Putin so much? Let's look at the facts. In October 2004, border agreements were signed in Beijing, and the border issue was finally resolved. Immediately after this, on December 31, 2004, Order No. 1737-r of the Government of the Russian Federation was issued on the design and construction of the Eastern Siberia - Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline with branches to China.

The legal registration of the border was completed only in July 2008, when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi signed an additional protocol describing the line of the Russian-Chinese border in its eastern part.

The leadership of Russia and China has set a course for cooperation and good neighborly relations with each other, eliminating the last territorial disputes that could seriously spoil relations between the two countries and lead to a Russian-Chinese war, which the United States so badly needs.

This is what liberal bloggers and journalists, or rather their overseas sponsors, don’t like. They need confrontation, or better yet, war between the two most powerful continental countries. And the more reasons for conflicts there are, the better.

• Tags: ,

I have a difficult situation. Today, while collecting material for a completely non-political post, I came across information that changed my attitude towards life. Two years ago, I was very concerned about overcoming the crisis and maintaining the salaries of my employees, and this information passed me by.

This isn't shocking, it's just damning information. On October 14, 2008, our government under the leadership of V.V. Putin “transferred” part of our territory to China! More on this later, but now about me. I recently made a vow not to criticize our leadership, but after reading this information I have no choice but to take my words back. This does not characterize me well, but there is no other way out.
Our grandfathers, great-grandfathers and ancestors shed blood and gave their lives for the expansion of our territory. The kings understood very well that they not only needed to rule a strong power, but also leave it to their children, grandchildren, and so on. And these bitches are squandering the land watered with the blood of our ancestors.

On October 14, 2008, a ceremony was held to transfer OUR TERRITORY to China. Tarabarova Island and half of the Bolshoi Ussuri Island near Khabarovsk, as well as Bolshoi Island on the Argun River in the Chita Region, according to the addition to the agreement on the Russian-Chinese state border, go to China. The document was signed in Beijing between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leadership of the People's Republic of China on October 14, 2004. The transfer of the islands near Khabarovsk to China took place exactly four years after the signing of an agreement between the leadership of the two countries. In the Khabarovsk region, the PRC lost about 174 square kilometers of land. With the transfer of the islands on the Amur, China became 50 kilometers closer to Khabarovsk. The ceremony on Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island began with the singing of Anthems and the raising of the national flags of Russia and China. After a short rally on the Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island, in the place where the new line of the Russian-Chinese state border passes, border pillars of the two countries were installed.

In Soviet times, when relations between the PRC and the USSR were strained, the islands of Tarabarova and Bolshoy Ussuriysky were of strategic importance; they covered Khabarovsk in the event of a military attack. There was a powerful fortified area on Bolshoy Ussuriysky. Now the Russian island of Tarabarova, completely ceded to the PRC, will turn into the Chinese Yinlundao - Silver Dragon Island, the western part of the Greater Ussuri will be called Heixiazidao - Black Bear Island. On the Russian part of the Big Ussuri Island there is the Orthodox chapel of St. Victor, the Zarya agricultural enterprise, hayfields, and dachas for the residents of Khabarovsk.
By the way, I wonder if at least one person received any compensation?

The most interesting thing is that he knew exactly the opinion of the Russian people about his action. Here's the proof.

On October 1, 2008, the National Bolsheviks held a series of protests against the transfer to China of the Russian islands of Bolshoy (Chita region), Bolshoy Ussuriysky and Tarabarov (Khabarovsk region, on the Amur River). At the closing of the Far Eastern International Economic Forum in Khabarovsk, Igor Shchuka and Tatyana Kharlamova were chained to the doors of the Khabarovsk Regional Musical Theater, where plenary sessions of the forum were held and scattered leaflets. A case was brought against them under Article 282, Part 1, “Inciting hatred or enmity” (up to 2 years in prison). In February 2009, two more articles were added to political prisoners Shchuka and Kharlamova: 282.2 part 2 - “Participation in the activities of an extremist community” and 319 “Insulting a representative of the authorities.” At the moment they are in a pre-trial detention center in Khabarovsk.

Residents of the Amur region continued to protest against the transfer of the islands to China and Japan. On November 23, 2008, the party “For Holy Rus'” held a rally at the presidential representative office in Blagoveshchensk. On December 1, members of the All-Russian Communist Party of the Future came to the same place. According to the picketers, the authorities will not draw any conclusions from such rallies, but will at least pay attention. The protest was expressed by both older people and young people.

I think there were quite a lot of protests, but our authorities found nothing else other than to declare these honest people criminals. Here is the opinion of one of them.

Russian politicians and economists called the transfer of the islands historic. The former governor of the Amur region, Vladimir Polevanov, also spoke on this matter. “This will affect strategic relations with China in the direction of their improvement, since we have closed a problem that has dragged on for the last 30 years and twice even led to local military conflicts,” he told his opinion to the RBC daily newspaper. - These islands do not have any superimportance - they are not the South Kuril ridge. If, God forbid, we gave those islands to Japan, we would, in fact, lose the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the super-rich fisheries reserves of the shelf.” But the border issue with the country that Polevanov now considers “the most powerful state in the world” has finally been resolved: the United States, in his opinion, is weaker than ever.
Why would we be scared to lose the Sea of ​​Okhotsk? Do we no longer have an army to defend our territorial integrity? It is not surprising that with such a Minister of Defense there will soon be no army left. If I were the commander of the Ryazan school, I would punch him in the face for insulting God and the honor of a Russian officer. And the court of officer's honor would most likely acquit me.
What do official documents say about this? Comprehensive information has kindly been posted on the Internet.

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA. BEIJING. 2/14 NOVEMBER 1860
ARTICLE 1
In confirmation and explanation of the first article of the agreement concluded in the city of Aigun, 1858, May 16th day (Xiang Feng VIII year, IV moon, 21st day), and in pursuance of the ninth article of the agreement concluded in the same year, June 1st day (V moon, 3rd day), in the city of Tian Jin, it is determined: from now on, the eastern border between the two states, starting from the confluence of the Shilka and Arguni rivers, will go down the Amur River to the confluence of this the last river with the Usuri River. The lands lying on the left bank (to the north) of the Amur River belong to the Russian state, and the lands lying on the right bank (to the south), up to the mouth of the Usuri River, belong to the Chinese state. Further from the mouth of the Usuri River to Lake Khinkai, the boundary line follows the Usuri and Sun’gacha rivers. The lands lying along the eastern (right) bank of these rivers belong to the Russian state, and along the western (left) bank - to the Chinese state. Then the border line between the two states, from the source of the Sun'gacha River, crosses Lake Khinkai and goes to the Belen-he (Tur) River, from the mouth of this latter, along the mountain ridge, to the mouth of the Khubitu (Khubtu) River, and from here along the mountains , lying between the Hunchun River and the sea, to the Tu-myn-jiang River. Here, too, the lands to the east belong to the Russian state, and to the west to the Chinese. The boundary line abuts the Tu-myn-dzian River twenty Chinese versts (li), above its confluence with the sea.

That is, as we see, this agreement, which is the basis for defining our border with China, does not in any way determine the territorial affiliation of the islands on the Amur and Ussuri, incl. and the islands of Bol. Ussuriysky and Tarabarov. It turned out that until now this issue has not remained fully resolved. Russia, and then the USSR, always drew the border along the Chinese coast of the Amur and Ussuri, but China never recognized this alignment and on maps published both in the PRC and in Taiwan, these islands were depicted as Chinese. It must be said that Russia, and then the USSR, missed two wonderful opportunities to secure the islands on the Amur and Ussuri for themselves. The first was at the turn of the century, when all the ropes were pulled from the Qing Empire, and the second - in the first years of the existence of the PRC, when these islands could be exchanged for military and technical assistance, and even for Port Arthur, negotiated from Chiang Kai-shek, which was so and so they returned to the PRC in 1954. Years passed, China gained power, and the USSR, on the contrary, lost it, so it became impossible to ignore the border issue, as it was before. And in the end, Gorbachev signs the next document.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE SOVIET-CHINESE BORDER ON ITS EASTERN PART.
Article 2.
From the ninth border point, the state border line goes downstream of the Amur River (on the Chinese map - the Heilongjiang River) along the middle of its main fairway to the tenth
border point. This border point is located in the middle of the main channel of the Amur River (on the Chinese map - the Heilongjiang River) at a distance of approximately 6.3 km southeast of the height with mark 41.1 (on the Chinese map - 41.2) and approximately 2 .5 km south-southwest of the height with mark 39.9 (on the Chinese map - 40.4), located on the territory of the USSR, and approximately 9.0 km east-northeast of Mount Iligashan with mark 266 .5 (on the Chinese map - height marked 266.5), located on the territory of the PRC. The eleventh border point is located in the middle of the main fairway of the Ussuri River (on the Chinese map - the Wusulijiang River) at a distance of approximately 5.6 km west-northwest of Mount Triglavaya with an elevation of 353.5 (on the Chinese map - an altitude with an elevation of 366, 1) and approximately 7.5 km northwest of the Great Hekhtsir mountain with an elevation of 949.4 (on the Chinese map - an altitude with an elevation of 950.0), located on the territory of the USSR, and approximately 18.3 km to the north- east of the height with mark 58.6, located on the territory of the People's Republic of China.
As you can see, the section from 10 to 11 border points remains undescribed. This is just the area opposite Tarabarova and Bol. Ussuriysk. In the next, third article, the parties agreed to continue negotiations on this section.

Article 5.
The Contracting Parties agreed that the state border line between the USSR and the PRC, described in Article 2 of this Agreement, runs on navigable rivers along the middle of the main fairway of the river, and on non-navigable rivers - along the middle of the river or the middle of its main branch.
Those. The USSR agreed to use the main fairway as a general principle in determining the boundaries of navigable rivers. The main fairways of the Amur and Ussuri, I note, respectively, pass to the north and east of the islands and connect exactly opposite the center of Khabarovsk.

Article 8.
The Contracting Parties agreed that vessels of various types, including military ones, can freely navigate from the Ussuri River (Wusuljiang) to the Amur River (Heilongjiang) past the city of Khabarovsk and back. Navigation rules will be developed by the competent departments of the Parties.
Those. This article gave the PRC the right to unhindered passage of foreign military vessels through its (de facto) territory, and also separately signed that the main fairway runs north and east of the islands of Tarabarov and Bol. Ussuri. Thus, the Chinese claims to both islands completely became (with the consent of the USSR!) even more significant. This agreement was ratified by the Supreme Council on February 13, 1992, after the collapse of the USSR.
Further, during Yeltsin’s visit to Beijing in December of the same year, 1992, the following document was signed.

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUNDAMENTALS OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. BEIJING. 12/18/1992.
Article 12.
The parties will continue negotiations on the yet unagreed sections of the border between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China on the basis of treaties on the current Russian-Chinese border in accordance with generally accepted norms of international law, in the spirit of equal consultations, mutual understanding and mutual compliance in order to fairly and rationally resolve border issues questions.
Here Russia once again admits that a) the two islands are disputed and b) when dividing the border, it is ready to be guided by generally accepted norms of international law. And generally accepted norms of international law establish in such cases the main fairway as the dividing line.
From the above documents it is clear that the mine under Russia’s extremely legally weak position regarding the disputed territories was laid by the traitor to Russia Gorbachev. This once again indirectly proves my opinion that there is someone above our government whose will they unquestioningly carry out. They didn’t evoke warm feelings in me before, and even more so now. “Mr. President” swore to the Russians to respect the territorial integrity of the state. He didn't care about his own promises.

In connection with plans to lease more than 300 thousand hectares of agricultural land to China for 49 years, a heated discussion has erupted in the media, on social networks and “in kitchens” about whether this is worth doing?


But many, as it turned out, are completely unaware of the fact that we have already given China quite a bit of land and not only for rent. I went through the media archives and collected some information.

1. In 1991, the Soviet Union agreed that one and a half thousand square meters. km of Soviet land will be developed jointly with China. In fact, the lands were developed by the Chinese, but our border guards did not allow our citizens there.
2. On October 15, 2004, in Beijing, Putin signed the “Additional Agreement on the Russian-Chinese State Border on its Eastern Part,” which provides for the voluntary transfer to China of Tarabarov Island, part of the Bolshoi Ussuri Island in the Khabarovsk Territory and Bolshoy Island in the Chita Region.
3. At the beginning of June 2015, the government of the Transbaikal Territory signed a protocol of intent with the Huae Xinban company, which intends to lease 115 thousand hectares of fallow land and pastures in Transbaikalia for 49 years. They promise to invest 24 billion rubles. The workers will be brought from China.

Opinion: The Chinese work with the soil using very aggressive methods: for example, they actively use pesticides. I am afraid that after their lease the land will take a very long time to recover. What to do with the thousands of Chinese who will settle here? In 49 years they can hold a referendum... Of course, rapprochement with China is important for us, but we should be careful, the analogy with Alaska strongly suggests itself.

What is China investing in Russia?

According to media reports, China will invest on leased lands in agriculture: crop production, livestock farming.

And Heydar Jemal: is rapprochement with China beneficial for Russia:

What is Russian business investing in in China? In addition to various kinds of projects in the energy sector, perhaps only in

In Khabarovsk today the transfer of Tarabarova Island and part of Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island to China took place. The agreement signed between the governments four years ago legally fixed the line of the Russian-Chinese border in this section.

Tarabarov Island and half of the Bolshoi Ussuri Island near Khabarovsk, as well as Bolshoi Island on the Argun River in the Chita Region, according to the addition to the agreement on the Russian-Chinese state border, go to China. The document was signed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leadership of the People's Republic of China on October 14, 2004. The transfer of the islands near Khabarovsk to China took place exactly four years after the signing of an agreement between the leadership of the two countries.

Deputy Director of the First Department of Asia of the Russian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Malyshev said that this act “completes the establishment and legal consolidation of the entire line of the Russian-Chinese border, with a length of 4,300 km.” From now on, Tarabarov Island became the Chinese Yinlundao, and Bolshoy Ussuriysky was divided into two parts. Its western part, which went to the Chinese, will be called Heixiazidao. The eastern part is assigned to Russia. The total area of ​​these territories is about 350 square kilometers.

With the transfer of the islands on the Amur, China became 50 kilometers closer to Khabarovsk. It is believed that the islands were of strategic importance; they covered Khabarovsk in the event of a military attack. There was a fortified area on Bolshoy Ussuriysky, but now the military has abandoned it and moved to a new outpost. The Chinese side understood with understanding that the border passes near the Orthodox chapel of St. Victor built on the Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island, and “during demarcation, the border line was moved further from the temple.”

Governor of the Khabarovsk Territory Viktor Ishaev proposed creating a joint Russian-Chinese trade zone on the Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island. "From an economic point of view, we haven't lost anything," he said. According to him, the creation of a trade economic zone will create civilized conditions for trade turnover between the Khabarovsk Territory and Heilongjiang Province. As Ishaev said, the federal budget includes funding for the construction of a bridge from Khabarovsk to Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island.

The territorial dispute over Tarabarova Island and the Big Ussuri Island on the Amur began in 1964, when the leader of the USSR Nikita Khrushchev and the Chinese leader Mao Zedong agreed on the delimitation of territories, but did not agree on the issue of these islands, recalls Newsru.com.

After this, the Chinese launched a so-called irrigation war and began regularly flooding barges with sand in the Kazakevichev channel. If the channel dried up, the islands, having connected with the Chinese coast, would automatically become Chinese, so the Chinese poured sand into the Amur, and the Russians deepened the bottom and strengthened the coast.

In 1991, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev signed a border treaty with China, and the border was drawn along the Amur channel. All this time, the border between Russia and China remained undemarcated for almost 4 km. By the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China in October 2004, the “irrigation war” was put to an end: an additional agreement to the Agreement on the Russian-Chinese border on its eastern part was signed between the two countries.

The natural resources of the islands are rich and varied. Land resources are of significant value. Up to 70% of the area can be used as arable land, hayfields or pastures. The islands are home to valuable fur-bearing animal species, ungulates, upland and waterfowl. There are species listed in the Red Books of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the USSR and Russia: Far Eastern and black storks, black and Japanese cranes, mandarin ducks, swan-nose turtles, Far Eastern leatherback turtles and others.

There is a lot of fish in the Amur, its channels and floodplain lakes. Among them, protected species are black carp and Chinese perch. More species of fish constantly live in the vicinity of the islands than in the entire Volga basin. The autumn migration of chum salmon and lamprey takes place near the islands.

The islands are of great recreational importance. Already, there are about 16 thousand garden plots here, which are visited by tens of thousands of city residents, news agencies note.

For the existence of any organized society, a certain territory is necessary. Moreover, the safety and functioning of these lands must be regulated by state acts. But this, as history shows, is clearly not enough. The security and integrity of the country can only be ensured if its borders are clearly defined and recognized by representatives of the entire world community. That is why territorial disputes remain one of the most important issues in the foreign policy of every state.

Great powers such as Russia and China are no exception. Initially, between them lay vast desert or sparsely populated territories. The northern border of the Celestial Empire was. Today it stands far from the current border. Moreover, the distance is more than a thousand kilometers. Of course, that was a very long time ago. Then the Chinese could not even think that the Amur River on the map would become the watershed line between their state and Russia. After all, in those days these territories were the homeland of the warlike Manchus. And these people were ethnically far from the Han Chinese - the indigenous Chinese.

The longest border in the world

History has made its own adjustments, and today we can state that Russia and China are two empires that entered the twentieth century as two neighboring countries. The official border between them has existed for more than one hundred and thirty years. In 1860, the Beijing Treaty was signed, in which “from now on and forever” the border between the two states was fixed.

Russia and China are two states whose borders are the longest in the world. This is a line of ten thousand kilometers. It starts from the point of the borders of Russia, China and Afghanistan and ends at the point where Russia, China and Korea neighbor.

Border demarcation

The agreements of the 19th century Beijing Agreement have undergone some changes these days. They were revised, that is, the borders were demarcated. This term means clarification of the existing boundaries of the two states. The reason for this may be changes in river beds, soil layers, etc. However, the demarcation of the Russian-Chinese border occurred due to the revision and revision of the already existing dividing line.

This work was only partly caused by natural phenomena. Thus, in the 130 years that have passed since the signing of the Beijing Treaty, the Tumannaya River has changed its course. She began to carry her waters across the territory of Russia. In addition, documentary inaccuracies were revealed in fixing the border markers of both one and the second state.

Eastern part of the border

The borders that Russia and China have between themselves are divided into two zones. The eastern part of the state border begins from the line of their neighborhood with Mongolia. The length of these boundaries is more than four thousand kilometers.

Despite the Beijing agreements of 1860, the border issue between the two countries was raised more than once. The dividing line between China and Russia has been repeatedly moved by local authorities and the population of both states. That is why there was a need to restore the borders as they were fixed when signing various agreements.

Neighborhood history

Almost along its entire length, the eastern border between the two great powers passed and passes today where the Amur River is located on the map, as well as where the Argun and Ussuri rivers flow. However, until 1992, this dividing line was not demarcated accordingly. Until 1931 they had a free navigation regime. Water resources of both states moved freely along their channels. In addition, numerous uninhabited river islands were practically jointly owned.

Everything changed after the start of Japanese aggression directed against China, as well as after the creation of the puppet state of Manchukuo. For the Soviet Union, this was a clear security threat. That is why our state had to establish strict control over the river territory. At first, this decision did not raise any objections from China. But since the 60s of the last century, tensions began to grow between our countries. That is why Soviet control over the water areas of the border rivers became the main source of incidents.

Disputed territories

During negotiations between the USSR and China, issues of sovereignty of several areas were discussed for a long time. The first of these were two territories in the Chita region. This is a fairly large island located forty kilometers southeast of the city of Zabaikalsk. Its significance for Russia is enormous. The island connects our country with China and Mongolia. In addition, this site is the main source of drinking water for the population of the city of Krasnokamensk, on whose territory almost 90 percent of uranium was produced.

The second disputed area, located in the Chita region, is Menkeseli Island. It became the subject of controversy after the Argun changed its course, turning its bed 5 km to the north.

There were also disputes between Russia and China over two sites in the Khabarovsk Territory. The first of them is Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island. The territory is located directly near Khabarovsk - the largest city in Russia in the Far East.

Tarabarova Island also caused controversy. It is located near Khabarovsk. This island has a significant area. In addition, there are a large number of other islets and islands around it. Many of them are located where the Amur flows. Tarabarova Island got its name more than a hundred years ago. Then, in 1912, a hardworking peasant settled on its territory with his family and started a farm there. His name was Sergei Maksimovich Tarabarov. The island was officially assigned to the Soviet Union in 1929. Bolshoy Ussuriysky is located between the city and it.

Three territories in the Primorsky region are also sources of border incidents. This is the area:

• near Lake Khanka;
• P-shaped near Poltavka.

The third territory consists of two small strips of land located north of Lake Khasan.

All of the above zones are important for Russia economically. That is why they were initially under her direct control. In addition, Tarabarova Island and significant territories of Bolshoy Ussuriysk are located in close proximity to Khabarovsk, and therefore are its defense in the event of an armed attack.

Making final decisions

In 1991, agreements were signed between the PRC and the Russian Federation, finalizing the eastern section of the border. And a year later, demarcation work began on this territory. As a result, the border between the two great powers became clearly marked on the ground. All work was carried out with the participation of a specially created demarcation commission, which included representatives of both states.

For the first time in history, from the borders with Mongolia to the river. 1184 border posts were placed in Tumannaya. The distance between them is 1.5-3 km, and in a number of places with difficult terrain - 300-500 m. In addition, several hundred kilometers of clearings were cut, and a large number of outdated engineering structures were dismantled. Demarcation works also affected river areas. A large volume of hydrographic measurements was carried out on the border areas of the Amur and Ussuri, and buoys were installed on the equator of Lake Khanka.

Demarcation work turned out to be not only labor-intensive, but also a very complex process. Thus, local Russian residents of the island of China, located on the border, considered it to be primordially Russian territory. After all, they used these lands for their economic purposes. Nevertheless, all work was carried out in accordance with the agreements signed between the two countries. The successful resolution of the issues was a great contribution to strengthening friendship between Russia and China, as well as strengthening stability in the region.

Completion of demarcation

An important event in the history of relations between Russia and China occurred in the fall of 2004. On October 14, another agreement on the passage of the eastern borders was signed in Beijing. It marked the end of territorial disputes between the two countries.

According to the signed agreement, Tarabarova Island and part of the Bolshoi Ussuri Island were given to China.

History of the controversial issue

Russia and China have not been able to decide who owns Tarabarova Island and part of Bolshoy Ussuriysk since 1964. It was then that a territorial dispute began between the two great powers, which was never fully resolved.

In order to get both one and the other, the Chinese started an irrigation war against the USSR. It consisted of regular flooding of barges with sand in the Kazakevichev channel. The purpose of such work was to direct the channel to the islands and connect it with the Chinese coast. In this case, the islands of Bolshoy Ussuriysky and Tarabarova would automatically be on the territory of the Middle Kingdom. But this idea was a failure, since the Russians constantly deepened the bottom of the Amur and strengthened its banks. And only the 2004 agreement put an end to the long irrigation war.

What did China get?

According to the signed agreements, Russia transferred Tarabarova Island to the neighboring state. The western part of Greater Ussuriysk was also given to China (it was divided approximately equally). Today, these territories are the province of Heilongjiang.

Where is the current border? After part of Bolshoy Ussuriysk, as well as Tarabarov Island, was given to China, the border between the two countries began to pass along the coastal part of Khabarovsk. Moreover, the dachas of local residents located on Bolshoy Ussuriysky remained on the Russian side. The rest went to the Chinese. In total, Russia gave the neighboring state 337 square kilometers of its territory.

What changed after the transfer of territory?

Today Fr. Tarabarova and part of Bolshoy Ussuriysk are islands of China. The neighboring state has become closer to Khabarovsk by fifty kilometers. Previously, Bolshoi Ussuriysky defended Russia from military attack. There was a fortified area on its territory. Today, the military has left all engineering structures and moved to a new outpost.

The main attraction of Bolshoy Ussuriysk is the Orthodox chapel, erected in honor of the Chinese. They treated our religious shrine with understanding and moved the border line away from the temple.

Today, the territories ceded by Russia, according to the 2004 agreement, are the Heilongjiang province of Fuyuan County. Russian islands of Tarabarova and Bolshoy Ussuriysky - about. Inpundao and Fr. Heixiangzidao.

From the south to the north, a main highway has already been built on these lands. Along its western side, active construction of the “Easternmost Pagoda” is underway. It is a multi-story tower reaching a height of 81 m and having a square shape. Its architecture is made in the style of the Tang and Han dynasties. The pagoda, which will stand just opposite the Chapel of St. Victor, will act as a vivid symbol of the territory acquired by China. The tower is so high that it can be seen from a Russian village located in the Amur floodplain.

It is also worth mentioning that the easternmost point of China has changed its geographical position. Previously, it was located in Wusu Village, and has now moved to Heixiangzi Island. As a result, the Chinese began to greet the rising sun fifty-eight seconds earlier.

The islands are actively visited by tourists from both countries. For example, in 2015 the number of travelers was about half a million.

Natural resources of the transferred territories

Tarabarova Island, like Bolshoy Ussuriysky, has rich lands. Up to seventy percent of their areas can be used as pastures, hayfields and arable land. In addition, the islands are home to fur-bearing animals, as well as ungulates and waterfowl. There are species on these lands that are listed in the Red Books of the USSR, Russia and the International Union. Their list includes: Japanese and black cranes, black storks, swan-nose, mandarin duck, Far Eastern leatherback turtle, etc.

Floodplain lakes, as well as the waters of the Amur River and its channels are rich in fish. Protected species are also found here. The autumn chum salmon and lampreys make their migratory movements around the islands.

Yes, rich lands were transferred to China. However, the Russian side believes that it has not suffered significant losses economically. Our country has big plans. They involve the creation of a joint Russian-Chinese trade zone in these territories. This will provide normal conditions for trade turnover between Heilongjiang Province and Khabarovsk Territory. And today, the federal budget has already begun to provide the funding necessary for the construction of a bridge from Khabarovsk to Heixiangzi Island.