Socioeconomic and Security Implications of Chinese Migration in the Russian Far East

Several dimensions of migration from China into bordering areas of the Russian Far East (primarily Primorskiy Kray) are subjected to critical assessment: scale of migration economic impacts (for migrants and host regions) attitudes of the host-region population and regional security implications. The analysis suggests that the Russian Far East generally has limited economic attraction for Chinese migrants despite the importance of migration for cross-border relations and trade. The study is based on data from Russian statistical border and migration services; extensive interviews and on-site observations; review of regional newspapers; and a large (N= 1010) opinion survey of the local population. (authors)