In recent years, an increasing number of Russian entrepreneurs, engineers, doctors, and teachers have been moving to China in search of higher salaries and better economic prospects, according to a study by the Federal Research Sociological Center (FRSSC) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
This was reported by Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
Who Is Moving and Why?
The majority of Russians migrating to China come from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but there is also a great outflow from Siberia and the Russian Far East, particularly from the Trans-Baikal Territory, Buryatia, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Khabarovsk, and Primorsky regions.
Researchers estimate that around 11,000 Russians relocate to China each year, and as of 2020, over 16,000 Russians were recorded as permanent residents in the Chinese population census.
But experts now estimate the real number could be between 40,000 and 50,000.
Many Russians settling in China gravitate toward major cities with strong job markets.
Currently, around 10,000 Russians live in Beijing, while 5,000 to 6,000 reside in Shanghai. Other cities with sizable Russian communities include Harbin, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Hong Kong, and Macau, each hosting 2,000 to 3,000 Russian expatriates.
Beyond entrepreneurs and skilled professionals, students and pensioners are also part of the migration wave. Many retirees travel to China for the winter months, a trend that sometimes turns into permanent relocation, particularly among those from Siberia and the Far East.
Additionally, China is home to a long-standing Russian minority of over 2,500 people, including the descendants of mixed marriages. Most of this community is based in Ili and Tacheng (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), Pogranichnoye (Heilongjiang Province), and Eergun (Inner Mongolia). Of particular interest is Enhe, known as the “Russian Volost,” where the Russian language and culture are preserved.
According to researchers, these Russian-speaking communities could play a role in fostering ties between Russia and China, acting as cultural and economic bridges between the two nations.
