China is strengthening its position in the Russian Far East and is no longer hiding its claims to the region. Against the backdrop of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the weakening of the Russian economy, and demographic decline in the Far East, China is consistently increasing its economic and infrastructure presence there, and in the event of Russia's collapse, is ready to take steps towards the actual seizure of this territory.
The relevant reflections were published on the major Chinese portal NetEase, with quotes from there cited by Chinese media.
The author of the material notes that the Far East has always been a challenging region for Russia: vast distances, harsh climate, weak infrastructure, and chronic population outflow. Despite the wealth of natural resources – gold, diamonds, oil, and gas – its economic development requires colossal investments.
After 2022, the situation has worsened: a significant portion of Russian military and financial resources has been diverted to the war against Ukraine, and the federal center's presence in the Far East has noticeably weakened.
"The finances of the Russian government are undermined by the war, and they no longer reach this region. China, on the other hand, is in urgent need of energy: the pipeline from the Far East supplies 38 billion cubic meters of gas annually, which is about 10% of the country's total gas consumption," the material states.
The author of the article is confident that in the event of chaos in Russia, the Far East could easily turn into a region of instability that external forces such as the USA and Japan would pay attention to.
China, for its part, has not been idle in recent years and has long been working in the Far East, increasing its economic and infrastructure presence there.
"If Russia really collapses, 7 million square kilometers of the Far East should not go to waste. History shows that China has already paid for weakness, and this lesson must be taken into account," the material states.
At the same time, the author believes that Beijing should not resort to open seizure of the Far East, repeating Russia's actions in Ukraine, as this would lead to international isolation. Instead, it is suggested to continue a "soft" strategy: making investments and supporting forces oriented towards China. From China's perspective, the stability of the Far East is directly linked to the security of its northeastern provinces. The proximity of Alaska, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula makes the region sensitive to the possible deployment of military infrastructure by third countries.
In this context, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is viewed as a diplomatic tool to deter external interference and provide political cover for economic interaction.
China's strategy in the region is based on gradualness: economy and infrastructure as a foundation, diplomacy as protection, long-term contracts as a guarantee of irreversibility.
"For China, the Far East is a treasure; for Russia, it is a burden... China's strategy is to advance quietly and gradually, without noise... The collapse of Russia is not an abstract scenario, and only by preparing in advance can one act coolly," the author concludes.
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