Russia fears China could annex part of its Far East region, including the port city of Vladivostok, and beyond, according to a leaked document from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
The eight-page internal FSB document, obtained by The New York Times, reveals that despite Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s outward projection of warm ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he fears Beijing is “trying to encroach” on Russian territory.
Vladivostok was ceded to Tsarist Russia in 1860 under the Treaty of Peking, which established the border between China and Russia along the Amur and Ussuri Rivers, as indicated on Newsweek‘s maps in this article. This agreement granted Russia control of Vladivostok, a key port city in the Russian Far East.
Per the FSB, China has sought to bolster its historical claims in the Russian Far East by researching traces of “ancient Chinese peoples” in the region. In 2023, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources mandated that new maps use the Chinese names for Vladivostok and seven other cities in the region. The document suggests that China may be trying to influence local opinion to support its narrative.
The FSB memo also alleges that Chinese intelligence agents are interested in the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route, which is located by the northern coast of Russia. The route, which significantly reduces shipping time between Asia and Europe, would allow China to export its goods more efficiently.
American Buddhist Net 