Articles

The politic and legal status of the Russian emigration in the Soviet-Chinese relations in the second half of 1920s

Vostok/Oriens '2017, №4

DOI: 10.7868/S0869190817040057

 
The article examines the peculiarities of the legal status of the Russian emigration in China in the second half of 1920s. The Soviet-Chinese diplomatic relations started in 1924 formally ended the period when Russian emigrants were living on the territory of China as refugees without any citizenship. Since that moment they had to make their decision regarding their legal status in China. Because of the different circumstances for most of people such decision was not easy to come to. Political and economic factors however were the trigger for their choice. Migrants needed livelihood. Many of them did not want to participate in a struggle against the Soviet government and hoped for stability. The article analyzes reasons and aims of granting Soviet or Chinese citizenship by the authorities of the USSR or Chinese Republic. The main attention is paid to the problem of legal status of the Russian immigrants and its influence upon the Soviet-Chinese relations in the considered period of time. The article examines the role of legal status of Russian immigrants in the politics of Soviet Union at CER and China in general, and also the Chinese government manipulations regarding legal status of Russian immigrants in their own interests, in particular preventing the spread of Soviet influence in the Far East.

Keywords: the Russian emigration, refugees, China, the USSR, legal status, foreign relations

Pages: С. 47–55