Northeast China. Regions of China. Largest heavy industry base
UDC 323.174
A. B. Volynchuk, Y. A. Frolova
CHINA in the cross-border region of northeast ASIA: economic and geographical basis of geopolitical status
An analysis is given of the formation of China's geopolitical status in the cross-border region of Northeast Asia. The economic and geographical factors that shape the geopolitical status of the northeastern provinces of China are considered. The nature of existing cross-border interactions between China and Russia is assessed. Forecast scenarios for geopolitical interaction between the USA, China and Russia are proposed.
Keywords Keywords: Northeast Asia, China, cross-border region, geopolitical status, cross-border processes, Dongbei, northeastern provinces of China, Russian-Chinese economic cooperation, “triangle of power.”
China in cross-border region of North-East Asia: economic and geographic basis of its geopolitical status. ANDREY B. VOLYNCHUK (Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok), YANA A. FROLOVA (Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service, Vladivostok).
The article analyzes the formation of China’s geopolitical status in the cross-border region of NorthEast Asia. It also considers economic and geographic factors that shape the geopolitical status of the northeastern provinces of China. The authors study the cross-border cooperation between China and Russia and suggest the possible scenario of the geopolitical interaction US-China-Russia.
Key words: North-East Asia, China, cross-border region, geopolitical status, cross-border processes, Dongbei, north-eastern provinces of China, Russian-Chinese economic cooperation, “triangle of force”.
Like Russia, China belongs to the category of giant countries. In terms of the size of its state territory, the People's Republic of China ranks third in the world, second only to Russian Federation and Canada. The size of a country largely determines the characteristics of economic, social, political and geopolitical processes and influences the nature of internal and foreign policy states. Vast spaces serve as the root cause of the emergence of processes of territorial differentiation, which is the main basis for the formation and further development of all types of regions - territorially isolated political and economic entities countries. Differentiation based on natural differences between territories in climatic conditions, geographical location, endowment with natural resources, comfort of living, fixes and then strengthens regional differences. The region is involved in development
personal types of division of labor, from interregional, within the country, to international.
The People's Republic of China is embedded in the cross-border region of Northeast Asia (NEA) by four administrative territories - the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Together they form the economic region of Dong Bay1, which is an integral, internally welded economic organism. The area of the region is almost 2 million km2, about 1/8 of the country's territory. Rich natural resources (oil, coal, oil shale, ferrous and alloying metals, hydropower resources, timber, seafood), favorable international economic geographical position, specificity
1 Dongbei is the most common name in China for north-
ro-east of the country. However, in the Russian historical and geographical tradition, the toponym Manchuria is most often used to designate this territory.
VOLYNCHUK Andrey Borisovich, candidate geographical sciences, Senior Researcher, Laboratory of International Institutions and Multilateral Cooperation of the Asia-Pacific Region, School of Regional and International Studies (Far Eastern federal university, Vladivostok), e-mail: [email protected]; FROLOVA Yana Aleksandrovna, candidate of political sciences, senior lecturer, Institute of Law and Management (Vladivostok State University economy and service, Vladivostok), e-mail: [email protected]© Volynchuk A.B., Frolova Y.A., 2012
The article was prepared with the support of the grant of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation No. 6.1602.2011 “State regulation of the development of border regions: balance of needs national security and economic progress."
China in the cross-border region of Northeast Asia
A. B. VOLYNCHUK, Y. A. FROLOVA
development - all these factors contributed to consolidating the northeast as a strategic region of the country. And if other territories of China are oriented towards the south and southwest in their foreign economic and foreign policy, then the economic and political interests of the PRC, carried out through Manchuria (the historical name of Northeast China), are directed exclusively to Northeast Asia.
The influence of the northeastern provinces of China on modern economic and territorial-political processes in Northeast Asia is enormous. Relying on its economic and military potential, China is the initiator and participant in most economic projects and political initiatives. In this regard, it is not without interest to determine the nature of its geopolitical status in cross-border interaction in order to identify prospects for promoting the national interests of the PRC in this region of the world. The most suitable tool for achieving the goal set in the article is geopolitical expertise, the use of which is aimed at forming an objective idea of the status of the territory and the forecast for its further development.
The category of territory status is a complex multi-stage structure, which includes components of natural resource, demographic, economic, political, military and other levels. They are the subject of analysis in this publication.
The basis of the status of Northeast China is its demographic potential. The average population density in the region is about 69 people. per 1 km2. By absolute indicators The population of Dongbei significantly exceeds that of its neighbors in the cross-border region. According to the 2010 census, more than 136 million people live within the four provinces, which is significantly more than not only the Russian population Far East(6.3 million) and two Koreas (74.5 million), but also Japan (126.2 million)2. The difference in demographic potentials of individual sectors of the cross-border region creates the conditions for the emergence of cross-border migration processes. They are especially powerful in the direction of the Russian Far East, which is facilitated by the peculiarities of the economic-geographical location (EGP) of northeast China.
Northern Dongbei has a long land border with the Russian Federation, which ensures
2 Data from the population census held in China in 2010 are so far presented in official sources only in generalized form.
provides him with direct access to 5 Russian subjects: Trans-Baikal Territory, Amur and Jewish Autonomous Regions, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. The Eastern Contact Line is defined by the border of North and South Korea. In the West, the region borders Mongolia. The favorable nature of the cross-border interaction of the Chinese sector of the cross-border NEA region is determined by the presence of a large number of neighboring countries, and most of the foreign border regions are significantly inferior to China in a number of socio-economic indicators. This applies to the level of economic development of cross-border territories and their population potential. Today, the fact of the border neighborhood provides China with almost free access to relatively inexpensive and scarce resources of the Russian Far East and Mongolia: ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, oil, gas, electricity, timber, etc. Due to low transport costs for moving resources, Russian resources cheaper than Brazilian, Canadian or Australian ones. Steady Flows natural resources and raw materials from Russia changed the spatial pattern of the location of production capacities in the provinces of Northeast China.
Another positive EGP factor for northeast China is its proximity to powerful industrial and scientific centers PRC (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai), territorially forming its southern border. Availability of developed transport infrastructure Roads and railways provide the northeast with strong connections with the provinces of other economic regions of China, thereby expanding its resource base and increasing the sales capabilities of regional enterprises. Moreover, in addition to the developed network of railways of national importance, the region has in its transport structure a railway of international importance - the Chinese Eastern Railway, which crosses the entire northeast in the latitudinal direction and provides access to Chinese enterprises to the markets of Russia and Europe. The region has a relatively dense railway network. The total length of the region's railways exceeds 26 thousand km, almost 1/3 of the length of the country's roads. The main volume of freight transportation in the region is carried out precisely by rail.
Assessing the level of the region’s transport situation, one cannot fail to note the presence of access to the Yellow Sea. A network of various specialized port facilities created over the course of
political science. story. PHILOSOPHY
the entire coast, provides the opportunity to realize its economic and geopolitical interests in the countries of the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Moreover, the successful combination of access to the sea and numerous cheap labor resources makes it possible to attract significant foreign investment to the region in the form of direct financial injections into the regional economy or in the form of the introduction of new technological solutions.
The natural resource and industrial potential of the region is mainly based on its own natural base. Large deposits of tungsten, molybdenum and copper are being developed in northeast China. Vein and placer gold is found in different areas. Among non-metallic minerals, it is worth noting the huge reserves of coal. The region in question accounts for about 80% of the oil produced in China. The largest deposits are Daqing (north of Harbin) and Shengli (near Leizhou Bay).
Northeast China is one of the most industrially developed areas, accounting for 20% of the country's gross industrial output, the largest producer of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, machinery, electricity, coal, petroleum products, chemical products, cement, and timber. The average gross regional product (GRP) in 2009 was 19,318 yuan per person. .
In general, the natural resource base of Dongbei can be assessed quite highly. However, the region is increasingly showing negative results of many years of intensive development of the territory’s resources, which significantly increases the level of environmental tension. Problems in almost everything natural environments: pollution of rivers and lakes by industrial and municipal wastewater, chemical pollution and salinization soil cover, deforestation, air pollution from gas emissions from metallurgy and the chemical industry.
Current state international economic relations are determined by China’s transition from a “planned commodity” economy to the construction of a “socialist market economy"with the implementation of the strategy of export orientation of the economy. The 2000s marked the beginning of a new stage of industrialization based on increasing export potential. With the implementation of the strategy of comprehensive opening up of the external economy, both imports and exports are growing rapidly in Northeast China. Trade relations and technical and economic cooperation are maintained with 159 countries
and regions of the world, the main ones being Japan, USA, South Korea, Holland, Hong Kong.
The foreign economic policy of the northeastern regions of China is aimed at solving the following tasks promising development:
1. Concentration of foreign investment in knowledge-intensive industries - aviation and space, instrument making, modern agricultural engineering, services, infrastructure, security environment etc.;
2. Development of foreign trade. Increasing exports of high-tech, high-value-added goods, labor-intensive goods and agricultural products. Limiting the export of energy-intensive goods and raw materials;
3. Development of cross-border trade, strengthening ties with the countries of the cross-border NEA region, developing the market of countries South East Asia, Europe and America;
4. Expansion of international economic and technological cooperation;
5. Development of transport infrastructure, ensuring access to international transit corridors.
In implementing the development strategy of Northeast China, Liaoning Province, taking into account its geographical location, is focused on Japan and South Korea; Jilin Province, which has the Korean Yanbian National District in its administrative structure, into South and North Korea and Russia; The government assigned Heilongjiang Province the role of the main mediator between the provinces of China and the CIS countries.
Over the past decade, Russian-Chinese economic cooperation within the cross-border region of Northeast Asia has reached the level of strategic partnership. The governments of the two countries coordinated regional development programs - the Russian Far East and the northeast of China. As a strategic priority for the socio-economic development of the Far Eastern territories of both countries, a course was announced to combine efforts in achieving the main goal: modernizing economic potential and improving the quality of life of people.
Since the early 1990s, a “border openness belt” has been operating in the outlying regions of China; For about two decades, the Chinese authorities have been stimulating the development of cross-border trade with Russia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Vietnam, emphasizing that this is the way for the prosperity of border areas. Policy " open doors» in border
regions of the PRC was aimed at creating favorable conditions for the life of the population and for commerce. In 1992, the State Council of the People's Republic of China awarded the status of "open border cities" to more than 13 cities, county centers and towns, including Heihe and Suifenhe (Heilongjiang Province), Manzhouli and Erenhot (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region), Hunchun (Jilin Province), Dandong (Liaoning Province). In specially designated areas of most of these settlements zones of cross-border economic cooperation were created. The most successful of these provinces in terms of the dynamics of foreign trade turnover was Heilongjiang Province (an increase of more than 33 times), followed by Jilin (19 times) and Liaoning (11 times).
The Russian-Chinese strategic partnership, despite the relatively low level of trade in comparison with other major partners of China (USA, Japan, EU), economic ties, is extremely important for the PRC. Russia and China have a strong legal framework for the development of economic ties. These are intergovernmental agreements on trade and economic cooperation, on the promotion and mutual protection of capital investments, on scientific and technical cooperation, on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion in relation to income taxes, on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs affairs, on cooperation in the field of protection intellectual property etc., as well as dozens of interdepartmental agreements. The official policy document defining the prospects for the long-term development of Chinese-Russian strategic cooperation is the Agreement between the PRC and the Russian Federation on good neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, signed on July 16, 2001.
It should be noted that in general, in recent years there has been a serious breakthrough in trade and economic cooperation between Russia and China. High growth rates of bilateral trade at a level of more than 30% remain, and bilateral trade turnover in 2011 reached a record level of -83.5 billion dollars. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the APEC summit in Vladivostok, noted that trade turnover between the Russian Federation and China will soon reach $100 billion.
A comparative analysis of the levels of geopolitical potential of the Chinese and Russian sectors of the cross-border NEA region showed the superiority of the Chinese status, which determines
the systemic nature and flexibility of the strategy for China’s promotion into the economy of the Far East. It highlights the following areas: trade in energy resources, forest resources, construction of a network of gas stations in China and a network of oil refineries in the Russian Far East, increasing Chinese exports to the Far East market.
China's economic interests are outlined in the "Plan for Revitalizing the Economy of the Northeast of the People's Republic of China", developed under the auspices of the State Committee for Reform and Development and published in August 2007. Main macroeconomic guidelines: increasing the volume of GRP per capita from 15,318 yuan in 2005 to 21 889 yuan in 2012. increase in expenses for research and development to 2% of GRP.
The policy of the Chinese authorities is aimed at the restoration and reconstruction of industrial centers in the northeast of the country. Pragmatic China intends to attract all possible resources from Siberia and the Far East to implement a program to revive the region's old industrial base. The consequence of this is the active propaganda in China of the idea of coordinating this program and Russian plans for the development of the Far East. The advantages of the territorial proximity of the three northeastern provinces, especially Heilongjiang, to Russia are obvious, their production structure is comparable, and economic complementarity is strong.
Last years were marked by important changes in the global geopolitical situation. IN to a large extent they are associated with the growing role of China both in the regional (Northeast and Asia-Pacific) and in the global balance of power. This was facilitated by a long-term economic crisis, which primarily had a negative impact on the economic condition of the leading countries of the world. In the race for global leadership, Beijing plans not only to rely on the industrial potential of its northeastern provinces, but also to use the rich experience of cross-border cooperation with the Russian Far East.
Currently, a rapidly developing China is positioning itself as a power that is gaining international significance. He seeks equal cooperation with the world community in maintaining global and regional stability. But China's economic development based on integration into the world economy evokes a response, and not always in favor of China, from the United States, the EU, and Japan. While in the PRC they remain
political science. story. philosophy
authoritarian regime and the Chinese Communist Party's monopoly on political power, China will remain a “stranger” for them in politics. However, China's growing economic and military power is raising its authority and expanding political influence in the world. The PRC remains a rising “center of power” that pursues an independent foreign policy. And if Beijing has not yet shown much activity in global politics, in the Asia-Pacific region China is already positioning itself as a regional leader who readily takes on the burden of responsibility for maintaining sustainable development, peace and stability. At the APEC summit held in Vladivostok, Chinese President Hu Jintao said: “China’s development will continue. China intends to remain the engine of development in the region."
The shift in the center of economic power from the Atlantic to the Pacific brings back to life a model that was very popular at the end of the last century international relations- “triangle of power” - USA-China-Russia. It seems that the current balance of power in the “geopolitical trio,” like forty years ago, will again have a decisive influence on the situation not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but throughout the world. Despite obvious and hidden problems, the United States and China are the most powerful economies in the world. In turn, Russia, with favorable conditions and competent financial policy, has every chance to restore the lost status of a global geopolitical player.
Considering the prospects for interaction between the three powers within the “triangle”, we can talk about the possible development of the situation according to four scenarios.
The first scenario is possible with a successful “reset” of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States, which involves the removal of basic contradictions in issues of security, the export of democracy and human rights. In order to contain the growing influence of China in the Asia-Pacific region and in the world, Russia is taking the path of political and economic integration of the EU, joining or creating a joint security system with NATO “from Lisbon to Vladivostok.” In this scenario, China's strategic position will deteriorate sharply. China will be under pressure from both land and sea: north/northwest - Russia and NATO; east/northeast - Russia, Japan, Republic of Korea, USA; southeast - Taiwan, USA; south/southwest - Vietnam and India. China's response options will be limited to two steps. The first is trade, economic, military
and political rapprochement with Iran, which is unlikely to significantly improve Beijing’s position, but will seriously increase the degree of antagonism with the United States. The second is improving relations with the United States and NATO, abandoning an independent foreign policy, compromise and concessions in matters of national and geopolitical interests. China is ceasing to be an independent center of power, and the world politic system will become unipolar again.
According to the second scenario, the outcome of the “reset” of relations between Russia and the United States will not lead to the conclusion of an alliance against a rising China. On the one hand, Moscow will strive to improve its image in Europe, move economically closer to the EU, and cooperate with NATO; on the other hand, in order to maintain room for political maneuvers and obtain geopolitical and trade-economic benefits, Russia will develop friendly relations with China. In this situation, there is a high probability of maintaining a bipolar world for a significant period.
According to the third scenario, the idea of V.V. Putin’s plan to create a single Eurasian economic and political union will take real shape in the post-Soviet space. Integration processes with the CIS countries can significantly speed up the restoration of geopolitical positions lost by Russia. The economic, demographic and military potential of the new Eurasian Union will significantly increase the geopolitical status of Moscow, which, in turn, will increase tensions in relation to the West. Russia will perceive NATO's expansion to the east, the deployment of a missile defense system, and the export of “color” revolutions as the most serious strategic threat to itself. In this case, Russia will try to rely on Chinese strength and continue a strategic partnership with China to confront the West. In addition, despite Russia and China’s awareness of their strategic interests in the confrontation with the United States, both sides will not escalate the conflict with the West to the extreme. At the same time, strategic partners will avoid formal allied obligations towards each other in order to retain space for political maneuver.
The fourth scenario involves the joining forces of China and Russia in the fight against US global hegemony. The creation of a Russian-Chinese military-political alliance will again “split” the world into two warring camps and, in fact, will plunge the existing security system into a state of a new “Cold War”.
Analyzing the current balance of power in the world and in the North-East Asia region, we can say:
that there are no prerequisites for the development of the first and fourth “union” scenarios, and Chinese-Russian relations tend to a greater extent to implement the second and third. If “Eurasianism” prevails, the situation will follow the third scenario, and if the “European scenario” prevails, the situation will follow the second. Of course, the boundaries between these scenarios are quite vague and unclear.
The cooling of relations between the US and Russia inevitably gives China a strategic chance. China is both a land and sea power. IN new history it was repeatedly attacked, but mainly from the sea. During the period of tense relations between China and the USSR Soviet troops were on the Sino-Mongolian border just a few hundred kilometers from Beijing - face to face with the enormous power of China. After the establishment of strategic partnership relations between China and Russia, China was freed from pressure from the north. The establishment of good neighborly relations also affected such regions of China as the west, northwest, northeast and southeast, which entered a safe existence mode due to the preservation of traditionally friendly relations with Russia by countries bordering China, which were optimistic about friendship between China and Russia.
Despite some friction between China and the United States, both countries generally maintain normal relations with each other. China is not sticking out, not waving flags, not challenging American strategic interests, and Americans are shifting their strategic attention to Europe and the Middle East, not viewing China as a strategic threat. Relations in the triangle are stable and balanced, which gives China a gain in time - 20 years of peaceful development. If in the next 20 years China develops at the same speed as now, its prospects are unpredictable.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Volynchuk A.B. Russian Far East: challenges of cross-border interaction // Humanitarian research in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. 2010. No. 4. P. 29-35.
2. Gelbras V.G. China: search for a new development model // Asia and Africa today. 2009. No. 3. P. 3-9.
3. Cities and features of China. URL: http://www.terravision. ru/country/view/357/І (date of access: 10.10.2011).
4. Devayeva E., Kotova T. Russian Far East and Asia-Pacific: foreign trade aspect // Problems of the Far East. 2007. No. 6. P. 45-52.
5. Treaty on Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the PRC and the Russian Federation dated July 16, 2001. URL: http://russian.china. org.cn/russian/31979.htm (access date: 09/01/2012).
6. Information materials on the preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census. URL: http:// www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform. php (access date: 06/10/2011).
7. People's Republic of China: politics, economics, culture. To the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. M.: FORUM, 2009. 592 p.
8. Larin V. Interregional interaction between Russia and China at the beginning of the 21st century: experience, problems, prospects // Problems of the Far East. 2008. No. 2. P. 40-53.
9. The population of the Republic of Korea has exceeded 50 million people. URL: http://rus.ruvr.ru/2012_06_24/79145974/ (access date: 09/10/2012).
10. General information about China. URL: http://greater-china.ru/ (access date: 10/25/2011).
11. Regions of China. URL: http://russian.china.org.cn/
russian/56317.htm (date of access: 10/27/2011).
12. Ryzhova N. The role of cross-border cooperation in the development of outlying cities of China and Russia // Problems of the Far East. 2009. No. 4. P. 59-74.
13. Sazonov S. Reform of the transport system of the PRC and the global financial and economic crisis // Problems of the Far East. 2010. No. 2. P. 20-32.
14. Tatsenko K.V. Trends in economic interaction between the Russian Far East and Northeast China. Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2006. 216 p.
15. Frolova Y.A. Pacific Russia in Northeast Asia: problems and prospects for cooperation // Humanitarian studies in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. 2010. No. 4. P. 40-46.
16. Hu Jintao. China will continue to lead the Asia-Pacific economy. URL: http://www.vz.ru/news/2012/9/8/597192.html (access date: 09.09.2011).
17. Zhao Xin. International cooperation in plans for the socio-economic development of the regions of Russia and China // Geopolitical potential of cross-border cooperation in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region / scientific. ed. A.B. Volynchuk; under general ed. Ya.A. Frolova. Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2010. pp. 195-208.
2012 No. 4 HUMANITIES RESEARCH IN EASTERN SIBERIA AND THE FAR EAST
in the context of cross-border interaction with the Russian Federation
The northeastern region of the People's Republic of China, including the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and the eastern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Chifeng city, Khingan aimag, Tongliao city, Shilingol aimag and Hulunbuir city) -
one of the border regions of the country, the so-called “center of Northeast Asia”, bordering four foreign countries (Russia, Mongolia, North Korea and Japan) and potentially capable of influencing the development of interregional relations and the situation emerging in the transborder regional system.
The choice of the North-Eastern region of the PRC as the object of study is not accidental and is due to the growing influence of Chinese territories on the border regions of the Russian Federation. Thus, about 22% of foreign trade turnover between Russia and China falls on the North-Eastern provinces. The influence of the North-Eastern territories of China on the Russian border regions is so great (China’s share in foreign trade ranges from 39% in the Primorsky Territory to 96.1% in the Trans-Baikal Territory) that it practically determines their “economic future” and economic specialization of development. This leads to the “erasing” of borders with China and increasing dependence on the economic will of the “neighbor” (see). In this regard, there is a need for a more detailed analysis of the development strategies of the North-Eastern region and assessment of the results of their implementation through the prism of challenges and threats to Russian border territories in the context of intensifying interregional interaction between the Russian Federation and China and the implementation of the Cooperation Program between the regions of the Far East and Eastern Siberia of the Russian Federation and Northeast of the People's Republic of China for 2009-2018.
The policy of reform and openness with a course towards a socialist market economy, proclaimed in 1978 at the III Plenum of the 11th CPC and the course for the balanced development of regions, put forward in 1995 at the 5th Plenum of the 14th CPC Central Committee, predetermined the course of regional development China, with which they entered the 21st century.
The result of the regional policy of targeted growth was the intensive development of the central, coastal eastern and southern regions countries and increasing differentiation of socio-economic development of regions in the country as a whole. For the Northeastern region of the PRC, this state of affairs resulted in a deterioration in its socio-economic situation in comparison with the Eastern regions of the country, in particular in such areas as: transport infrastructure, industry, trade, investment and innovation systems of the region.
The deteriorating socio-economic situation, fueled by the weak investment attractiveness of the North-East region of the PRC, led to a significant decrease in the share of industrial output. The region's contribution to China's industrial production fell during the years of reform from 17% in 1978 to 9% in 2002 (see) This is largely due to the legacy of a centrally planned economy and the presence of a significant number of state-owned enterprises here. In general, there has been a constant decline in the share of GRP of the Northeastern region in the GDP of the PRC since the 80s. XX century (for comparison: 1956 - 19.2%; 1980 - 13.86%; 1988 - 11.85%; 2002 - 10.44%) (see).
Established in the middle of the 20th century. The region's specialization industries still play a leading role in the industry structure industrial production. The region's specialization sectors are represented mainly by heavy industries that require large amounts of energy and raw materials, which gives rise to the following problems: 1) energy shortage - the region produces 7.7% of all-China electricity, while consumption is 8.2% of all-China. Energy consumption per unit of industrial output (worth 10,000 yuan) in the provinces of the Northeast (Heilongjiang - 2.34; Jilin - 3.25; Liaoning - 3.11 kW) is much higher than in the coastal provinces (Jiangsu - 1, 67; Zhejiang - 1.49; Fujiang - 1.45 and Guangdong - 1.08 kW), there is a shortage of certain types of raw materials, in particular iron ore, alumina, oil and petroleum products. It is these items that appear in imports; not only primary raw materials are purchased, but also secondary ones (products made of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, scrap metals).
To solve existing problems in the region, in November 2002, after the 16th Congress of the CPC Central Committee, the leadership of the People's Republic of China formulated the Strategy for the Revival of the Old Industrial Bases of Northeast China (东北地区等老工业基地振兴战略). In October 2003, at the 3rd Plenum of the 15th CPC Central Committee, a decision was made to stimulate the development of the provinces of the Northeast of the PRC and the “Plan for the Revival of the Old Industrial Bases of the Northeast Provinces” was promulgated; at the beginning of 2004, it was established under the State Council of the PRC Office of the Steering Group for the Regulation and Revitalization of Old Industrial Bases in Northeast China, and in 2007, the "Northeast China Revitalization Plan" (中国东北振兴计划) was adopted, covering the 11th Five-Year Plan (until 2010) . Thus, the idea voiced back in the 1980s regarding changes in economic mechanisms in the provinces of the North-Eastern region of the PRC, figuratively considered in China as “the last stronghold of a planned economy” (see).
The “Northeast China Revitalization Plan,” implemented by the Chinese government since 2003, is designed to accelerate the socio-economic development of the region. At the same time, the main provisions of this plan will determine the directions of development of the North-Eastern region of the PRC until 2020. The activities provided for in the Plan pursue fairly broad goals. Initially, the talk was about the reconstruction and re-equipment of “old industrial bases” with modern equipment, most of whose enterprises were built in the 1950s. XX century with the participation of the USSR. By the beginning of the implementation of the Plan, there were 156 such facilities in the PRC, a third of them were located in Heilongjiang province, including 25 enterprises in Harbin. However, by now the Plan itself has become an integral part of the mechanism for solving more common task for the comprehensive development of the region and equalization of the level of socio-economic development of various regions of China.
The following goals were proclaimed for the revival of the region during the 11th Five-Year Plan: modernization of the “social market economy”; maintaining rapid and sustainable growth; public sector restructuring; increasing the degree of openness of border regions; economic restructuring based on accelerated development service sector; increasing the competitiveness of enterprises in the Northeast of China; development of environmental protection activities and introduction of resource-saving technologies; development of the social sphere: education, medicine, culture, sports, etc.
According to the Plan, by the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan it is planned to achieve the following goals in the field of economic and social development in Northeast China:
Rapid economic growth based on the principles of " scientific development"and "knowledge economy"; structural reorganization of the region's economy; increased efficiency and overall reduction in energy consumption; doubling GRP per capita by 2010 compared to 2002;
Significant increase in the share of regional industry in the country's GDP; growth of the non-state sector in GRP; an increase in the number of internationally competitive domestic companies with independent intellectual property rights and well-known brands as part of the region’s innovative potential;
Creating a powerful potential for sustainable development of the region; improving resource efficiency and reducing environmental impact; reducing air and water pollution in areas along the Liao and Songhua rivers; protection of the marine ecological environment;
Stimulating social development by improving the quality of public services in education, health care and social security; reducing the number of poor people; improving the situation in the field of public safety and labor protection; stimulating the construction of a new socialist village; an increase in the per capita income of rural residents in relation to the income of the urban population; maintaining the unemployment rate among the urban population below 5%;
Promoting the policy of reform and opening up; development of the region's innovation system; completion of reform of the “old industrial base”; increasing the degree of openness of coastal, border areas and large cities in the region; expansion of foreign trade; increasing the volume of foreign investment and increasing the efficiency of their use.
The specific results of the implementation of the Plan are concentrated in certain development indicators, distributed by areas of activity and classified according to the level of possibility of achievement (expected and mandatory for achievement) (see).
The measures taken against the provinces of Northeast China have never been so large-scale. Within the framework of the general Plan, each of the administrative units of the region has developed its own programs, generally similar in strategic focus. regional development. In addition, local administrations are more low level(city and county) within general principles established by the plan, regularly develop their own instructions and recommendations to business entities. The Office of the Steering Group for the Regulation and Revival of Old Industrial Bases in Northeast China under the State Council of the People's Republic of China, in turn, strives to coordinate and optimally combine the powers and potentials of individual administrative units of the region.
As part of the Northeast China Revival Plan, regional programs are also being developed aimed at solving specific problems in various spheres of life in the region. One can name a number of programs in the fields of management, culture and tourism.
One of such strategic developments in relation to the North-Eastern region is an experiment to create an enlarged region. The Chinese government was faced with the need to find new political solutions that would promote successful implementation economic tasks of developing foreign markets and sources of raw materials, solving internal problems, and would allow us to gain experience in carrying out political reform nationwide.
The northeastern region of the PRC became the first experimental base for the study and development of new system territorial organization. In the northeast of the country, the possibility of creating a region uniting the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang is being explored. The first step was the signing in July 2008 by the people's governments of the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang of the Framework Agreement on Legislative Cooperation, which is designed to coordinate the development of regulations in these three provinces. According to the framework agreement, cooperation between the regions will be built on 3 principles: 1) unity in decision the most important legislative problems in the field of management and social sphere (formation of a single working group); 2) close interaction in solving legislative problems of common importance; 3) independence in resolving issues that do not affect the interests of the three provinces (see).
The creation of an enlarged region in the Northeast is aimed at ensuring that the systems of provincial regulations are more coordinated and not contradictory, which should entail a reduction in economic and social barriers between provinces, a reduction in competition, lower costs and an acceleration of the legislative process. Within the country, this step should compensate for the process of deepening market reform, accompanied by a weakening of state control over economic entities; in the international arena, Northeast China should become a region acting as a united front in the struggle for resources and markets. The political meaning of the experiment is the search for new effective methods management of territories in changing economic conditions.
The experiment to create a system of legislative cooperation, carried out within the framework of the Plan for the Revival of the North-Eastern Provinces, became the first example in the history of the PRC of creating a “horizontal” regional system of interaction in the political and legal sphere.
The border position of the Northeastern region also determined the specifics of the cultural policy of the PRC in relation to this territory. The goal is to raise the level of culture in backward outlying areas, which are becoming strategically important for the development of relations with neighboring countries; implementation of the all-China program for creating a cross-border cultural corridor (BCC).
The main goals of the construction of the PKK were declared to be the promotion of culture, the development of trade and economic activities, tourism, and the promotion of strengthening national defense. The formation of the PKK in China has already yielded the first positive results, and the state plans to continue the implementation of this program. At the beginning of the 21st century. The Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China, together with other departments, approved the “Plan for the construction of an all-China “cultural corridor of border territories 10 thousand li long” for 2001-2010.” According to the plan, the PRC has set the task of establishing the image of Northeast China as a cultural border region, so cultural propaganda becomes a paramount task. Convincing evidence of the progress achieved in the border region was the flourishing of the cities of Heihe, Suifenhe and Hunchun located here. So, located on an area of 460 sq. km, the city of Suifenhe, with 150 thousand inhabitants, is today considered one of the most advanced in the PKK. The Party Committee and the Heilongjiang provincial government took the initiative to turn it into “Northern Shenzhen” (see).
One more innovative project, implemented within the framework of the “Northeast China Revitalization Plan”, is the “Northeast Region Tourism Development Plan” (东北地区旅游业发展规划), aimed at creating and promoting the tourism brand “Greater Dongbei” (“大东北旅游”品牌 ) (cm. ). The development of the Plan was carried out by the National Bureau of Tourism, Development and Reform of the People's Republic of China. The document was officially presented on March 17, 2010. The organizational and legal mechanisms for implementing the Plan were discussed by representatives of the regional elites of the Northeast provinces at the Tourism Forum held in Yichun, Heilongjiang Province on August 5-6, 2010.
Implementation of the “Tourism Development Plan for the North-Eastern Region” in the period 2010-2015. is designed to accelerate the development of the tourism industry in the region, which includes the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and the eastern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. At the same time, the main provisions of this plan will determine the directions of industry development until 2020.
The national tourism industry is called upon to occupy a significant place in the structure of the Chinese economy in the context of the processes of integration and globalization. The new model of mass tourism being developed in the North-Eastern region does not require the same expenditure of natural resources as industry and is capable of creating the necessary number of jobs to reduce unemployment, thus can become an effective mechanism for the development of the region’s economy. In addition, the Northeast region has unique advantages in the development of tourism. The region has rich tourism resources (about 155 species); the state of the environment as a whole creates a favorable basis for the development of ecotourism; the geographical location of the region, the presence of land and sea borders with foreign countries, create the necessary conditions for the development of interregional and international tourism.
According to the Plan, by 2015 it is planned to achieve the following development goals tourism industry Northeast region of China:
Ensuring rapid and sustainable growth of tourism: increasing the share of the tourism industry in GRP by 2 times compared to 2008.
Further optimization of tourism products: improvement of the tourist infrastructure of cities; development of 4 world-class winter tourism and recreation regions; creation of 10 ecotourism brands, formation distinctive features cross-border tourism, cultural tourism, tourism in coastal areas; development of special tourism products in the context of increasing demand in the tourism services market to meet the individual and diverse cultural needs of mass tourism;
More coordinated development spatial structure tourism: development of tourist clusters based on cities in the region; strengthening the cluster development of “5 districts and 15 subregions” in the coastal zone of the Northeast; implementation of the construction model of “4 horizontal and 4 vertical” axes for the development of regional tourism.
Improving the quality of tourism services: modernizing the hotel network, increasing transport capacity for transporting tourist flows; improvement of measures to ensure the safety of tourism services;
Introduction of innovations into the institutional organization of the region's tourism system;
Strengthening regional and international cooperation in the field of tourism.
The key directions and goals of the “Tourism Development Plan of the North-Eastern Region” are concentrated in development indicators (see).
In general, the “Tourism Development Plan of the North-Eastern Region” is a detailed strategy for the development of the industry, outlining the main directions, goals, principles and mechanisms for its implementation.
To date, more than seven years have passed since the proclamation of the course for the revival of the Northeast region of the PRC, and certain results have been achieved in this direction, representing a noticeable revival of the dynamics of economic development of the region. Analysis of socio-economic development data allows us to summarize some intermediate results of the implementation of the Plan and assess the effectiveness of the measures taken.
It should also be noted that, given the border position of the region, the Chinese authorities have provided various mechanisms for strengthening interaction with the neighboring territories of neighboring states. An analysis of the “Plan for the Revival of Northeast China”, as well as programs for the development of certain areas of the region’s economy, developed in line with it, indicates that these documents consolidate the Chinese side’s vision of interaction with border countries. Russian territories as one of the key tools for stimulating one’s own socio-economic development. A special place, both in the general Development Strategy of Northeast China and in regional (provincial) plans, is given to expanding cooperation with the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia, as one of the key partners of the PRC in the region.
The Russian border regions in the governing documents of Northeast China are considered, first of all, as markets for Chinese-made products, as well as a supplier of resource group goods. In addition, they are actively used to employ Chinese workers and produce agricultural products for subsequent sale in the Russian Federation. Russian scientists involved in the study of strategies for modern regional development of the Northeast of China (see) often conclude that the large-scale transformations currently being carried out in the region will inevitably affect its interregional relations with the border regions of the Russian Federation and will largely determine external conditions for their regional development in the foreseeable future.
In 2007, at the initiative of the Chinese side, a bilateral commission was created to prepare an intergovernmental agreement “to link the Federal Target Program for the Economic Development of the Far East and Transbaikalia with the program for the development of old industrial bases in Northeast China” (see). The main priorities of the Chinese side in this area are expanding the import of Russian raw materials; joint development of deposits of non-ferrous metals with their subsequent export; increasing the capacity of border checkpoints; development of a network of cross-border roads and railways; increasing the number of border shopping complexes; attracting more people to China Russian tourists; export of Chinese labor to the Russian Federation; participation of the Chinese side in the implementation of measures provided for by the Federal Target Program. All this is fully reflected in the “Program of Cooperation between the Regions of the Far East and Eastern Siberia of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People’s Republic of China for 2009-2018”, approved on September 23, 2009 by Hu Jintao and Dmitry Medvedev, which, according to In the opinion of most experts, it is not intended to completely solve the problem of the existing asymmetry in the development of the border territories of the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. Moreover, some scientists are of the opinion that the bilateral cooperation program is a clear reproduction of the purpose of the Far East and Eastern Siberia as a raw material base. On the territory of the Russian Federation, a number of mineral deposits and natural resources will be developed and infrastructure will be created for the export of these raw materials mainly in one direction - China. On Chinese territory, on the contrary, industrial enterprises are being built that are focused on processing resources extracted in Russia.
At the same time, it cannot be unequivocally concluded that the further expansion of interregional cooperation between the Russian Federation and the PRC will only have negative consequences for the Russian side. Forestry and energy resources are the most important items of Russian export, Chinese labor and investment flows play an important role in the development of the region, and the transit location provides opportunities for the development of transport infrastructure (see). From increasing the level of socio-economic development of the border territories of the Russian Federation and the development by regional elites of effective regional policies that promote economic development and cultural dialogue, largely depends on the real configuration of the cross-border regional space and the transformation of Russian-Chinese cross-border interaction into a potential development factor for the eastern regions of Russia.
Literature
- Ivanov S.A.. Correlation of development programs for the Russian Far East and the revival of the Northeast of China: problems and prospects // Bulletin of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2009. No. 5. P. 132-139.
- Izotov D.A., Kucheryavenko V.E.. Northeast China in the context of the implementation of the economic revival plan // Spatial Economics. 2009. No. 2. P. 140-158.
- Kuchinskaya T.N.. Innovative trends in the process of internal regionalization of the PRC // Kulagin readings: materials of the VIII All-Russian scientific and practical conference. conferences. Chita: ChitSU, 2008. Part III. pp. 206-210.
- Lukyanova L.E.. Northeast China in the system of all-Chinese division of labor: abstract. diss….cand. geographer Sci. Irkutsk, 2010. 18 p.
- Minakir P.A. Russia - China in the Far East: imaginary fears and real threats// Spatial economics. 2009. No. 3. P. 9-17.
- Muromtseva Z.A. Strategy for the rise of Northeast China // Observer - Observer. 2004. No. 8 (174). pp. 68-73.
- Ryabchenko O.N.. Formation of a cross-border cultural corridor in the Northeast of China // Russia and the Asia-Pacific region. 2007. No. 1. pp. 166-200.
- Khuziyatov T.D.. Regional economic policy of China: strategy for the revival of the North-Eastern regions // Region: economics and sociology. 2005. No. 4. P. 200-207.
- Khutiyazov T.D.. Northeast China: strategy for increasing competitiveness // Problems of modern economics. 2004. No. 12. P. 135-138.
- Darbalaeva D.A. Prospects for cooperation between the Russian and Chinese border areas // Strategic directions for sustainable development of the Baikal region: materials of the All-Russian. Scientific and practical Conferences with the participation of foreign scientists and experts, April 21-22, 2010, Irkutsk.
- Cooperation program between the regions of the Far East and Eastern Siberia of the Russian Federation and the Northeast of the People's Republic of China (2009-2018).
- Plan of Revitalizing Northeast China = Plan for the revitalization of Northeast China.
- Dongbei diqu liuye fazhan guihua / Zhenxing dongbei 东北地区旅游业发展规划 / 振兴东北 (Tourism Development Plan of the Northeast Region // Official website of the Northeast Region of the People's Republic of China)
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISION OF CHINA
Based on the spatial differentiation of natural conditions, China can be divided into three unequal large zones: the eastern monsoon zone, the northwestern subcontinental zone and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau zone. These three large zones, according to the characteristics of the geographical environment of China, can be further divided into the regions of the Northeast, the North, the middle and lower Yangtze basin, the South, the Southwest, the Northwest and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, a total of seven geographical regions, each of which attracts with its exotic natural environment, culture and landscapes.
The Chinese continent is significantly affected by the East Asian monsoons, with areas in the eastern part being particularly susceptible to this influence. In the eastern monsoon zone, the author includes Northeast, Northern China, the areas of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, South and Southwestern China. This zone covers the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province, Yunnan , Guizhou, four central cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions. Natural conditions The eastern monsoon zone is relatively good, the population is dense, and the economy is developed, so it is an area where the economy has developed rapidly over 20 years of reform.
The Northeast region is located in the northeastern part of China and administratively covers three provinces - Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning. In the north and east it neighbors Russia and the DPRK, and in the south it is adjacent to Hebei Province. From a geographical point of view, this is a very specific area.
Late adoption, rapid development
In the early historical period of China, the Northeast region was always an area inhabited by national minorities and began to develop later in comparison with the interior regions. During the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368 -1644), the Ming government, in order to protect against attacks by northern national minorities, strengthened the defenses along the Great Wall from the Shanhaiguan Outpost to the Jiayu-guan Outpost and thereby limited the outflow of local residents of the Central Plain to the outpost (Shanhaiguan). Northeast for the development of new lands and subsidence. Only in the 18th century, during the middle and late period of the Qing dynasty, with the support of the then government, large parties of settlers moved to the Northeast from the interior regions. But even under such circumstances, the northern half of the Northeast still remained sparsely populated; vast expanses of virgin land awaited development.
At the beginning of this century, there was an increase in development in the Northeast region. Along with the construction of railways, the development of forestry and the mining industry, settlers began to arrive in large numbers in the Northeast. In the fifties, the state focused its investments on the development of the lowland areas of the northern half of the Northeast and created a number of large mechanized state farms there.
Compared with other inland provinces, Liaoning is considered densely populated, Heilongjiang is sparsely populated, and Jilin is densely populated. Among the 100 million inhabitants, Han Chinese make up over 90%; in addition, Manchus, Mongols, Koreans, Daurs, Orochons and Huis live here.
The customs and morals of the inhabitants of the North-East are closely related to the local natural environment - expanse, sparse population and fertile soil. Long-term living in such an environment determined the character of the local residents of the Northeast - broad, open. The climate in the Northeast is harsh, traditional residential buildings are usually low, with thick walls, and retain heat well. Local residents love to sleep on hot canals, drink strong drinks and eat fatty pork. In the Northeast, settlers came from various parts of the country, so many inland customs were incorporated into local wedding ceremonies and holidays.
The Northeast is an area where modern industry began to develop earlier than other regions of the country. In Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin and other large cities, the proportion of workers is relatively large. Under the influence of modern industry, there is also a relatively high cultural level local residents. In particular, after the 50s, construction began at a rapid pace
a number of large mining enterprises that provided employment to a large number of local residents. This created a generation of industrial workers with education and technical skills.
Surrounded by mountains and rivers, natural resources
Natural conditions in the Northeast are excellent. On three sides - west, north and east it is surrounded by mountains and rivers, in the west the Greater Khingan, in the north the Heilongjiang River and the Lesser Khingan, in the east the Changbai Mountains and the Yalu River. In the central part lies an endless fertile plain - the Northeast Plain, which is the largest plain in China. It consists of three parts: in the south the Liaohe Plain, in the north the Songen Plain (the Songhua and Nenjiang rivers), in the northeast the plain of three rivers (Heilongjiang, Songhua and Ussuri). Winters in the Northeast are long and cold, the frost-free period is very short, but summers are warm, and thermal conditions are sufficient for growing one crop per year. The soil here is fertile, and developed agriculture has turned the Northeast into an important base for commercial grain in China.
The main crops grown in the Northeast are corn, kaoliang, soybeans, chumiza, spring wheat and rice. The area under corn crops is the largest, and the highest corn yields are harvested here. Gaoliang has been sown here since ancient times, and in all regions of the Northeast. The Northeast is famous for its soybeans, their quality is excellent; Heilongjiang Province ranks first in the country in soybean production. Spring wheat in the North-East is mainly sown on state farms built approximately 30-40 years ago; the degree of mechanization in them is high, the marketability of grain reaches 30% or higher. The Northeast is also an important base for the cultivation of sugar beets and flax.
The mountains surrounding the Northeast are covered with large tracts of forest. In terms of the availability of forests, timber reserves and logging, the North-East ranks first in the country. On the Greater Khingan, larch mainly predominates; on Changbaishan, mixed coniferous-deciduous forests of pine and broad-leaved trees grow. Korean cedar from the Lesser Khingan mountains is an excellent building material. Today in the North-East, due to deforestation for many years, there are very few virgin forests left; in large areas they can be found only in the northern section of the Greater Khingan.
The forests of the Northeast are home to many wild animals and plants. The “Three Treasures of the Northeast” are ginseng, sable fur and deer antlers. Many years of search and research make it possible today to grow ginseng in large areas of mountainous regions, breed deer and sables, and encouraging successes are being observed in these areas. The Changbai Mountains are the world's largest tiger habitat and are home to the northeastern tiger, which is now critically endangered due to predation. To preserve valuable animals and plants, as well as for scientific research The state has created a number of natural reserves in Changbaishan, Lesser Khingan and other areas, of which the largest in area is located in Changbaishan; it is included by the UN in the network of natural reserves “Man and the Biosphere”.
Largest heavy industry base
Northeast China, especially near Shenyang in Liaozhongnan, is rich in ores, and there is a full range of them, which was an indispensable condition for the development of heavy industry. There are rich deposits of iron ores and coal, as well as auxiliary raw materials necessary for steel smelting, and the distribution between deposits of various ores is relatively good. Iron ores are mainly mined in Anynan, Benxi and Liaoyang, and rich coal reserves are found in Fushun and Benxi. These two types of minerals occur close to each other and even in the same place.
Even at the beginning of this century in Liaozhongnan, iron ore mining and steelmaking reached a certain scale, on the basis of which the machine-building industry was created. By the fifties, the state expanded the scale of construction of this branch of heavy industry, expanded and reconstructed the metallurgical plants in Anshan and Benxi, built a number of new large machine-building plants with an emphasis on heavy machine tool building, which allowed this old industrial base to take another step, becoming the largest in The country is a heavy industry base. The share of heavy industry in the Northeast remains large today, and its Liaoning province ranks first among all provinces, districts and cities in the country in terms of the share of heavy industry.
In the heavy industry of the Northeast, the main place is foundry, heavy machine tools, and equipment for large power plants. In addition, the coal and oil mining, petrochemical industry and automobile manufacturing of the Northeast occupy an important place throughout the country. Anshan Iron and Steel Company and Benxi Iron and Steel Company (Concern) Limited Liability, which are common name The Anshan-Benxi Metallurgical Base provides rolled metal and cast iron to various regions of the country.
The Northeast Plain is home to rich deposits of naphtha and natural gas. At the end of the 50s, oil was discovered on the Songan Plain in Heilongjiang Province, and soon production scales were born, which became known as the “Daqing Oil Fields.” Since 1963, China has been entirely self-sufficient in oil, the main source of which is Daqing. The Daqing oil fields are still considered the largest in China, their annual production is stable at 50 million tons of oil and above, and the soon opening of the Liaohe and Jilin oil fields allows the Northeast to produce half or even more of the total oil production in the country.
Changchun First Automobile Plant (now called China First Automobile Concern) is China's first automobile plant, which mainly produces medium-duty trucks. His Jiefang trucks, after reconstruction, have stable quality and low gasoline consumption. These new type of trucks are today the main ones among other domestic trucks. In the mid-1980s, the Changchun First Automobile Plant shifted its focus to producing light trucks and passenger cars.
Important Northeast cities Shenyang and Dalian
Shenyang is administrative center Liaoning Province, the largest industrial city in the Northeast, is both a transport hub and an economic center. Currently, its population is 5 million people. In history, Shenyang was the second capital of China's most recent dynasty - the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The former imperial palace, located in the very center of the city, has been perfectly preserved to this day. In Shenyang there are famous ancient monuments - the Dongling and Bei-ling tombs, where the founder of the Qing dynasty Nurhachi and his son Emperor Huangtaiji are buried.
Shenyang is adjacent to Anshan and Benxi, which produce large amounts of metal, not far from it is Fushun, rich in coal, and even further to the south is the city of Dalian, facing the sea. Shenyang and Dalian are connected by railway and highway. Abundance in Shenyang natural resources, convenient communications, there are all conditions for its development into a city of heavy industry. Today, Shenyang is the country's largest base for the production of machine tools, large ventilation units, pumps and transformers.
Dalian is located at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, and is the southern starting point of the Shenyang-Dalian Railway and the Shenyang-Dalian Highway. Excellent geographical location and very convenient communications have turned Dalian into a sea gate through which the northeastern regions import and export. The port of Dalian is large in scale, the sea here is deep and does not freeze all year round, and thanks to construction over many years, oil terminals were built in the Nianyu Bay in the north of the port, an oil pipeline from Daqing was brought directly to the port, the port's capacity has increased significantly. In Dalian today there are more than 30 sea berths that can accommodate ten-thousand-ton vessels, the largest berth can accommodate fifty-thousand-ton and one hundred-thousand-ton vessels. After Shanghai, Dalian is the second large integrated seaport in China; in terms of throughput, it is second only to Shanghai and Qinhuangdao.
Perhaps the administrative divisions of China are as complex as its hieroglyphic alphabet and dialects. Most often you will come across such a concept as “traditional regions”; below they will be designated.
Administrative division has three levels: provinces, counties (cities) and volosts (settlements).
The country is divided into 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 3 central cities. Administrative divisions under provincial or autonomous regions include autonomous okrugs, counties, autonomous counties and cities.
Subordinate to a county or autonomous county are volosts, national volosts and towns. Cities of central subordination and big cities are divided into districts and counties, while autonomous counties are divided into counties, autonomous counties and cities.
Autonomous regions, counties and counties are areas of national autonomy. Administrative regions, districts and aimags are not bodies state power, but represent the power of provinces and autonomous regions, which exercises jurisdiction over the corresponding counties (khoshuns) or cities.
District departments are also not government bodies, but represent urban areas or cities not divided into districts. In some provinces, district administrative units were abolished, and in their place were counties of regional subordination under the jurisdiction of cities of provincial subordination.
The three cities under central control are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.
Twenty-two provinces - Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Taiwan.
The five autonomous regions are Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Guangxi and Tibet.
These cities, provinces and autonomous regions have 31 jurisdictions autonomous region, 321 cities and 2046 counties.
There is also an economic approach, and a geographical one, and a climatic one. China's central, southern and northern regions differ in all respects. Let's focus on the traditional approach; these names are most often found in tourist guides. We have compiled for you a list of names of regions of the country associated with six economic regions:
- Eastern China: , Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Shandong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang
- Northern China: , Tanjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia
- Northeast China: Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning
- Northwestern China: Gansu, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Ningxia
- South Central China: Guangdong, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi,