Ivan zuenko about the “yellow peril” and Chinese investments in the far East
The farther a region is from Russia’s border with China, the more its inhabitants are prone to various phobias related to the concept of “yellow peril”. However, in reality, no dominance of Chinese citizens in the far East is not observed. On the contrary, in the region would like to see more Chinese tourists and investment. About it in interview to “Lente.<url>” said the expert of the Centre for Asia-Pacific studies of the far Eastern branch of RAS Ivan Saenko.
“Ribbon.<url>: One of the main myths that exist in Russia concerning the Chinese — they’re all captured in the far East. You, being not only a sinologist, but a person living in Vladivostok, unable to confirm this thesis?
Zuenko: No, it is, of course, nothing more than a myth. It is not confirmed by any documentary evidence, nor purely visual observations. Actually the Chinese in the far East is not as much as one might think. And accordingly, their economic activity is not as great as we would like, because the Chinese would become the engine of our economic growth.
Not as many as say, and even less than we would like?
I personally think that Yes. The economic potential of our neighbour is not being used. If we talk about numbers — nobody knows for sure neither the number of Chinese in the region or volume of their investment. Any man that calls a specific number, arguing that “Chinese in the far East as” most likely takes it from the ceiling. You can only talk about trends, rather average values, but no more.
The followers of the concept of “yellow peril” is used quite a logical argument, saying that the Chinese are almost one and a half billion, where do they go if not to capture sly our Siberia and the far East. Why the Chinese in reality do not?
Because they are more interesting to move inside China. The volume of internal migration in Chinese one thousand times greater than the volume of migration of Chinese citizens into Russia. Our country, due to a number of reasons, not so attractive for Chinese migrant workers.
Ivan zuenko, expert of the Centre for Asia-Pacific studies of the far Eastern branch of RAS
Photo: “Tape.<url>”
What are these reasons?
First and foremost is economic viability. In Russia, the Chinese are earning not so much (especially after the fall of the ruble), it is difficult to invite foreign labor, there are a number of administrative barriers. Moreover, in the PRC there is a competition for working hands, and there are other States where the Chinese are more willing to go to work. For educated professionals is Western countries — Australia, Canada, USA.
Well, to work for yourself do not go and invest in Russia, Chinese ready?
Of course, they invest, but investment volumes are not what I would like…
What kind of numbers are we talking?
Here the situation is the same as with the number of Chinese migrants in Russia: no one really knows, there is no clear statistics. I these figures are not calculated, and used ready-made research — and each time their data is different. If to speak about official statistics, it is shocking: Chinese investments in the far East amount to a cent and a half of the total foreign investment.
Who then is the champion for investment in the region?
The Netherlands. Even among the leaders of the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, because it belonged to a significant part of “Sakhalin energy”, and Japan, which now owns part of this company. Most of the investments are investments in the mining industry, primarily in the oil and gas field (Sakhalin oblast accounts for 60 to 75 percent of all foreign investments). If we are talking about the Chinese, they invested in agriculture, construction and services sectors.
But I just want to clarify that the called number is a percent and a half, or approximately $ 50 million per year — virtually nothing says. That is actually investments a lot more. But even if we assume that they are 10 times more figure will still be not very impressive. Why we can say that in reality more attachments? First, Chinese business mimics local businesses are made on Russian citizens. Second, sometimes the business generally will not be issued as a business: for example, the Chinese takes the earth to sublease, it actually works as a businessman, but it will be decorated as the invitation of foreign labor. This is a very common practice. Well, sometimes reporting just downplayed or hidden, which is typical, of course, not only to Chinese business but also for local.
“In Russia, the Chinese do not earn so much”
Photo: Oleksandr Kondratyuk / RIA Novosti
Since we’re talking about agriculture — another horror story coming in the cage of the phobias related to the “yellow peril”: Chinese lease of 100 hectares of Russian land for a long time. All heard about it, few people in the course, what actually is this contract?
Yes, there was a story — the Chinese company wanted to lease land in Transbaikalia. Since this is not the region that I explored, I honestly don’t know how it ended. But by itself, the hype that arose in the media on this occasion, is very significant. Russian society is very unfavourably disposed towards the possibility of renting the Chinese agricultural land. But if you go to the fields to talk with farmers, with government officials, we find they have a different mood — a much more constructive and positive. And I should add that if we want the Chinese worked responsibly on Russian soil, it is necessary to make sure that they thought about tomorrow. If a Chinese person lives for today and not sure that tomorrow he will be able to return to the same field, of course, he’s not particularly interested in the fact that it remained fertile.
The Chinese have similar projects in Australia, and there are problems with the observance of environmental norms does not arise.
They have a lot where there are such projects. To claim that the Chinese white and fluffy, it would be a mistake. Wherever there is opportunity and the sense to break the rules for the sake of extracting more profits, they will do it. But so, perhaps, will come any businessman, not just Chinese.
In other words, bad Chinese lead exactly to the extent that they do allow the local authorities?
Yes, something like that.
In China there is a gender imbalance: men more than women. So many young people are unable to find a wife. Related to this is another Russian horror story: the Chinese will have and will begin to marry our women. In reality this is happening?
In some volumes it certainly happens. Marriages between Chinese men and Russian women is more than that between the Chinese women and men-Russians. But to say that these families created so much that it can somehow affect the demographic situation in the region, it is impossible. Especially in the PRC life changing. It is now allowed to have two children. The situation when the woman is ready to have an abortion after learning that waits for the girl, in order to then give birth to a boy, a thing of the past.
Now China has a growing middle class. What Russia can offer to this category of citizens of the PRC?
Yes, middle class in China today is increasing, and for these people is characterized by a different standards of behaviour and consumption. In General, the standard of living of the Chinese and Russian citizens equal. According to my subjective impressions, the Chinese are even slightly better than the Russians, dress up, use more expensive equipment, much more is spent on food and travel. Beijing aims to ensure that members of the middle class was more: the authorities want to teach citizens to spend more to change the export model of economy focused on internal consumption. This, incidentally, corresponds to the Chinese tradition, because for millennia, China was a closed economy system, is not needed in the external market.
“In General the standard of living of the Chinese and Russian citizens caught up”
Photo: Eugene Epanchitsev / RIA Novosti
What can we offer the Chinese middle class? I said that his representatives changed the standards of consumption. These people are interested in the goods of premium class, which is mostly imported. Especially they are attracted by organic products. Russia can take advantage of it. In China there is a representation of our country as a state whose economy is in ruins, and because of this nature is not polluted. Therefore, almost all Russian goods in the Chinese market are sold at exorbitant prices — as environmentally friendly. It’s not just about became popular in China domestic chocolate, biscuits, beer, but, for example, about the flour. It sounds funny, but a bag of Russian flour is considered a very good gift for Chinese women aged 40 years and older. The Chinese middle class we might be interested in the tourist trade. The Chinese love to travel. After they train in their homeland, they want to try something new, but because of the fall of the ruble Russia for the Chinese is a very cheap destination. As a premium we can offer eco-tourism.
How at the same time Russia is open to Chinese guests? Many foreigners from Europe complain that a Russian visa is very difficult to obtain.
Yes, this problem exists, and it serves as a limiting factor. The second problem is we are not ready to receive the large flow of tourists from China in terms of infrastructure. The Chinese are accustomed to certain standards in the service sector, they want little more than friendly, and the level of our hotel is not up to the Chinese. Guides and interpreters are also not enough. Can’t say that the situation is not improving, but still a lot of work.
“Russia is not ready to receive the large flow of tourists from China in terms of infrastructure”
Photo: Yuri Smityuk / TASS
The Chinese themselves are invested in the development of tourism infrastructure?
That’s a good question. It is believed that attracting Chinese tourists is a panacea for all economic problems of the Far East. But what we see in practice? Chinese companies are trying to close Chinese tourists to your Chinese business. In Moscow, however, the same thing happens. Most, if not all guides working with tourists from China, are Chinese. Chinese firms, bringing guests from China, Lodge them in hotels owned by the Chinese, and sending them to dine in Chinese restaurants. Guides lead tourists only in those stores with which they have an arrangement about Commission, in the end, the owners of retail outlets gets about 40 percent of the money spent by the Chinese.
The Russian and Chinese mentality is very different. Residents of border regions have learned to overcome this difference? In other words, become obsolete whether they are phobias and the stereotypes that we discussed today?
No, of course, not become obsolete. The cultural divide between our peoples remains. And mentality, and cultural code, residents of the West closer to us and easier. With the Chinese has considerable experience of everyday communication, but it is largely tied to all of the same stereotypes: the Chinese speak different languages, literally and figuratively. Somewhere — for example, in matters of cooking — the interpenetration of cultures more. In the Russian border regions like Chinese cuisine and Chinese popular in some Russian dishes and food brands. But in General, that’s all. There are, of course, professionals who are listening to Chinese music and versed in Chinese cinema, but it is not a mass phenomenon. That is, we still understand each other well enough to be able to increase the efficiency of cooperation.
