China's visa-free deal with Russia may flood Siberia with settlers by 2030
Photo: Russia and China agree on visa-free travel (Getty Images)
The new visa-free regime between Russia and China is creating a risky situation for the Kremlin. Chinese enclaves are already forming in Siberia, and by 2030, hundreds of thousands of settlers could move there, reports Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation (CCD).
"Since September 15, Russian citizens can travel to China without a visa. Moscow is preparing a reciprocal step for Chinese citizens. This marks a new stage of 'quiet expansion,'" Kovalenko explained.
He noted that visa-free travel changes little for Russians, since visas previously took only a few days to obtain. For China, however, it is a strategic channel for gradual migration to Siberia and the Russian Far East.
"Chinese enclaves are already forming in the region, complete with schools, businesses, and their own culture. Locals are largely excluded. Even lumberjacks are coming from China. Profits are sent back to Beijing," Kovalenko said.
He added that by 2030, Siberia could host hundreds of thousands of Chinese settlers. Russia's demographic crisis prevents it from populating its own territories, leaving the vacuum to be filled by others.
"The real picture is this: the Kremlin is not developing the region. It is handing it over to foreign settlers. Siberia and the Far East are strategic lands that Moscow is gradually ceding. And that is a positive development," he said.
China's stance on the war in Ukraine
China officially maintains a neutral position on Russia's war against Ukraine.
Despite this, Beijing continues to cooperate with Moscow. Several Chinese companies supply Russia with dual-use goods, which could be used to produce weapons.
China also purchases oil and gas from Russia for its own benefit, indirectly financing Moscow’s war.
In June, The Economist reported that China had become the main supplier for Russia's military machine. The outlet also suggested that Beijing might have provided lethal weapons.
Reuters has learned that Chinese combat engines are being sent to Russia disguised as "industrial refrigeration units."
