As strategic communication between China and Russia deepens, the relationship between the two countries has grown increasingly close, and various issues that once troubled them are gradually being brought to the table.
One significant issue is the Tumen River in Northeast China, often referred to as China's "heartache."
Whenever China attempted to discuss the construction of an outlet to the sea along the Tumen River with Russia, it faced numerous obstacles. However, in recent years, as China continuously expressed its position to Russia, President Vladimir Putin finally understood and accepted China's needs.
Upon his re-election, Putin even gave China a surprising gift: Russia would no longer obstruct China’s efforts to establish an outlet to the sea along the Tumen River.
This shift sparked curiosity among many Chinese netizens:
What changed in Russia to cause such a significant shift in attitude towards China’s development of the Tumen River outlet?
This curiosity is understandable.
In the past, China had clearly expressed to Russia its desire to establish a Tumen River outlet as soon as possible.
While Russia agreed to collaborate on most other issues, even expressing willingness to jointly develop the Far East, it remained silent on the Tumen River issue.
There are many reasons behind this.
The Tumen River is critically important to China, not only as a key factor in the development of Northeast China but also as an important transportation hub connecting China, Russia, and North Korea. The Tumen River flows through several major cities in Jilin Province, driving the development of related industries.
The lack of an outlet to the sea has been one of the reasons for the economic stagnation in Northeast China, making the opening of the Tumen River crucial for revitalizing the regional economy.
China’s determination to gain access to the Tumen River dates back to the Qing Dynasty when the late Qing government’s weakness led to the river being occupied by Tsarist Russia, and later by Japan during World War II.
Despite Japan's defeat after the war, the complexities of Sino-Russian relations prevented China from fully regaining control over the river, with usage rights remaining intermittent.
Even after President Putin came to power in the 21st century, China received no definitive response on the Tumen River issue.
Nevertheless, China never ceased its efforts to communicate with Russia. Eventually, when most people thought the issue was still far from resolution, there was a breakthrough.
During President Putin’s visit to China, he presented a solution to the Tumen River outlet issue, promising that Russia would no longer obstruct China’s construction and development efforts along the river.
This news sparked widespread discussion both domestically and internationally, surprising and puzzling many observers.
Why did Russia suddenly open the door for China? This change is closely linked to the development of China-Russia relations in recent years.
Especially after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Russia faced comprehensive sanctions from the West, leading to economic and trade difficulties, making Russia a pariah in the eyes of Western countries.
In this context, China extended a helping hand to Russia, assisting in alleviating its urgent needs and becoming an important supporter of Russia.
Following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia’s economy became heavily reliant on natural gas exports.
Western sanctions severely damaged its economy, but China’s timely support by absorbing large quantities of Russian oil and gas helped prevent an economic collapse and even spurred some growth.
The economic and trade relations between China and Russia reached historic highs.
President Putin understands the significance of China’s support to Russia. Thus, after his re-election, he chose China as his first visit destination, demonstrating his gratitude and the firm alliance with China.
Beyond gratitude, Putin's gesture also had strategic considerations.
The strategic relationship among China, Russia, and North Korea means that opening the Tumen River benefits all three countries.
By opening the Tumen River, China can not only advance its own economic development but also boost the economies of Russia and North Korea.
This creates a win-win-win situation and meets the strategic cooperation needs of the three countries.
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