Border Trade of the Treaty of Chaktu

Sino-Russian trade can be traced back to ancient times. As early as the17th century, China and Russia established regular trade relations. Russian caravans that came to China frequently were the main media of commodity exchange between China and Russia at that time. 1728 After the signing of the Chaktu Treaty between China and Russia, Sino-Russian trade has formed a pattern in which caravan trade and border trade coexist. Starting from 1756, Russia stopped sending caravans to Beijing. By 1762, the caravan trade in Beijing had completely stopped. Border trade has become the main form of Sino-Russian trade. The "Chaktu Common Market" was established according to the provisions of the Chaktu Treaty. The Chaktu trade has lasted for nearly two centuries. Especially before the middle of19th century, almost all Sino-Russian trade was concentrated here, and the small desert hills became famous for a while and became the "throat" artery of Sino-Russian trade. He, a A Qing dynasty man, called it "a metropolis between Shuomo and Shuomo" ("He: Cut off the Square and Take the Bus", Volume 37); Russian historical materials call it "Siberian Hamburg"; Some western historical documents even call it "Venice in the desert".

After the signing of this agreement, the trade of Chaktu gradually prospered, but because the Russians broke the contract from time to time, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong in Qing Dynasty, the Chaktu market was closed three times. 1in the 1920s, the interruption of "capital exchange" between China and Russia was the inevitable result of the development of various contradictions in Sino-Russian relations since the 7th century. However, relations between the two countries have not continued to deteriorate. Because both countries are facing many thorny problems, their respective circumstances force them to make concessions to repair the existing relationship.

18 In the 1920s, the Qing Dynasty was at the end of Kang Dynasty and the beginning of Yong Dynasty. The political situation was gradually stable, and agricultural production was rapidly revived. At the same time, it promoted the development of handicrafts and provided conditions for the expansion of foreign trade. At the same time, the northwest frontier was lively and chaotic, and the Junggar rebellion became a confidant of the Qing Dynasty. Because Russia intervened in the internal affairs of the Qing Dynasty and supported the Junggar rebellion, Sino-Russian relations were tense. In order to compete with Junggar as soon as possible, Qing decided to make concessions on trade in exchange for border peace.

At this time, Russia is in the late period of Peter's reform, the new order has not been consolidated, and although the economy has developed, it lags behind Western Europe. Foreign wars have also exhausted Russian libraries and urgently need to carry out trade with China. At the same time, Russia is also facing the serious problem of expanding to Northeast Asia and the North Pacific, so it also needs to ease relations with China and reopen border trade negotiations.

In the fifth year of Yongzheng (Gregorian calendar 65438+August 3, 20771), on July 15, China and Blenski signed the Border Treaty, and on September 7 of the same year (Gregorian calendar 65438+1October 2 1, Gregorian calendar/kloc-0). The main contents include border, trade, religion and handling cross-border criminals. In terms of trade, it is stipulated that "in addition to the trade between the two countries, sporadic trade in the border areas between the two countries should be established in Nebuchadnezzar and Selenger, so that businessmen can trade voluntarily. Chaktu is located on the east bank of the Selenger River, 800 miles south of Cullen, and belongs to the territory of Kharkamung Gutu Xieyo Khan. After the signing of the Treaty of Chaktu, because the old street was included in the Russian territory, China built a new street in China, which is still called "Chaktu". The transportation from the Russian mainland to Chaktu is very convenient, and Chaktu is also close to the cities in Siberia, so Russian businessmen are willing to go to Chaktu for trade.

The Chaktu market opened for the first time on September 5th, 1728. Since then, Sino-Russian trade in Chaktu has lasted for two centuries. The trade between China and Russia in the Qing Dynasty mainly experienced the following four stages:

The initial stage of slow development (1728- 1762)

The early development of Chaktu mutual aid market was not very smooth, especially in the first 30 years. Russia "prohibits Russian businessmen from selling grain and fur, making the transaction impossible." At first, it was not even allowed to sell livestock. Under such regulations, trade is naturally impossible. "In addition, the strict control of merchants who went to Chahan in the Qing Dynasty and the lack of best-selling goods also made few businessmen in China. Therefore, the Chaktu mutual aid market has encountered many difficulties from the beginning. During the period of 1729- 1730, fur was sold nationwide, which brought a certain prosperity to the trade of Chaktu. The leather goods sold to China at that time were worth 23,829 rubles. In the 1940s, the mutual aid market in Chaktu had a new improvement, and there was a gradual upward trend. This is mainly because Russia has taken a series of measures, such as 1743 approving immigration to Chaktu; 1745, allowing foreign businessmen to move into Chaktu and allowing businessmen to pay customs duties by cheque; 1762, the state monopoly on fur was cancelled, and caravans were not sent to Beijing, thus liberalizing the trade of Chaktu. The common market of Chaktu was eased and trade began to expand rapidly.

Pre-fluctuation period (1762- 1792)

However, the development of Chaktu mutual aid market is not smooth sailing. Due to the failure to properly handle the contradictions and disputes in the trade between the two sides, the trade was interrupted for three times for a long time: the first time (1762- 1768) was interrupted for six years; The second interruption (1778— 1780) lasted for two years; The third time (1785— 1792) was interrupted for seven years. This is what the history books of the Qing Dynasty called "the three passes of Chaktu". The three times of closed trade interruption totaled 15 years, which was obviously unfavorable to the economic development of China and Russia and the normal trade between the two peoples, and the businessmen of both sides also suffered huge losses. During this period, the trading volume of Chaktu mutual market showed obvious ups and downs. For example, according to Russian customs statistics, the transaction volume of 1762 reached108000 rubles, but it fell to 44000 rubles in 1766, reached 3.04 million rubles in 1776 and fell to/kloc in 1778.

The middle of its heyday (1792— 1858)

1792, 19 In February, the signing of the Qiketu City Agreement ended the intermittent history of the Qiketu market in the second half of the18th century. Since then, the trade of Chaktu has entered a relatively stable period.

/kloc-In the first half of the 9th century, the situation on the Sino-Russian border was relatively stable, which provided the necessary conditions for the development of trade between the two countries, and the Chaktu mutual market entered its heyday. China Trade City has become a commercial "metropolis" in Mobei, with orderly municipal management and social life. In 1930s, during the Napoleonic Wars, the sea route from Europe to China was blocked, so many European businessmen had to do business with China in Chaktu through Russian businessmen. Therefore, by the middle of19th century, Russia's Chaktu was not only the commercial center of Siberia, but also famous in Europe.

With the rapid development of the city circle of the two countries, the Chaktu market is more attractive. In addition, the characteristics of the mutual market of Chaktu are also one of its main attraction factors. First of all, its trading method is barter trade; Secondly, establish trading methods; Thirdly, during the transaction, the two parties meet directly, without intermediary and translation. There are transactions all year round, but it is busiest in winter, and large transactions are generally carried out in winter.

Late Decline of Japan (1851-1903)

After the Chaktu mutual market entered a prosperous period, the trade volume still maintained an upward trend until the early 1950s. The annual transaction volume is more than 654.38 million US dollars, accounting for 654.38+05%-20% of China's total import and export value. Russia is China's second largest trading partner, second only to Britain. 185 1 The trade volume in the first two years after the signing of the Ili Talbahatai Trade Charter was still considerable. Since 1853, especially after 1858, when China and Russia signed the Tianjin Treaty, the transaction volume dropped sharply, and it was 3/4 less in the 1980s than in the 1950s. The Chaktu mutual aid market began to decline.

At the beginning of the 20th century, trans-siberian railway was opened to traffic, which completely destroyed the Chaktu mutual market. The decline of the mutual aid market in Chaktu is a complicated process, and there are many reasons. The signing of the Ili Talbahatai Trade Charter made a large number of Russian businessmen look to the west. Russian businessmen went deep into China and directly purchased, manufactured and trafficked tea, which was the result of China's semi-colonial society. As colonial powers, Russia and the West went deep into China. Due to the recovery of maritime traffic, some European countries directly trade with China by sea, which has a great impact on the Chaktu market. The construction of the Middle East Railway has shifted the focus of Sino-Russian trade to Heilongjiang, which has had a fatal impact on the Chaktu mutual market. The mutual market of Chaktu is an important page in the development history of Sino-Russian relations, which is combined with the living needs of the two peoples and the development of the frontier. The main commodities are people's daily necessities. Because of this, it can have strong vitality. The border trade between China and Russia in the Qing Dynasty played an extremely important role in the development history of Sino-Russian relations.

First of all, the free trade between China and Russia has promoted the economic development of China and Russia, especially in the border areas between the two countries. For example, after Chaktu opened its market, Russia built tanneries, wool processing factories and woolen cloth factories in eastern Siberia; 1747 and 1755 established two silk factories in Irkutsk, and their products were sold in chaktu; 1763, Russia opened a road from Yekaterinburg to Moscow via Kungur, 1792, built a road around Lake Baikal, set up post stations and villages along the avenue, and organized immigrants to the border areas. In addition, the trade in the city of Chaktu has increased the income of the Russian treasury.

Secondly, the Sino-Russian Chaktu mutual market provides places and conditions for the exchanges between the Chinese and Russian people, and enhances mutual understanding and cultural exchanges between the Chinese and Russian people. Many businessmen in the urban circle of the two countries have become old acquaintances and even friends for many years. Every major festival between China and Russia, businessmen from both sides will still celebrate the festival together. At the same time, it also creates convenient conditions for businessmen of the two countries to learn each other's languages. The friendly exchanges between Chinese and Russian people in the Chaktu market have left a memorable page in the history of Sino-Russian relations.

In addition, the mutual market of Chaktu also helps to maintain the "relative" stability of the situation on the Sino-Russian border. When carrying out the expansion policy, Russia has to consider the huge benefits it has gained from its trade with China. Before the Opium War, Russia did not act rashly on the Sino-Russian border.