Why were there so many Russians in Harbin before?

Harbin used to be just a fishing village, because Russia built the Middle East Railway here and made a fortune.

The Middle East Railway (Russian: китайсковосточнаел) was called the Middle East after the Russo-Japanese War. The Middle East Railway is a D-type railway built by Russia at the end of 19 and the beginning of the 20th century to seize the resources in northeast China and dominate the Far East.

The Middle East Railway 1897 started in August, and 1903 was officially opened to traffic. After the completion of the Middle East Railway, a large amount of capital was injected and commerce developed rapidly. More than 30 countries set up consulates and banks here, relying on railways to open ports through commerce, and Manzhouli, Fulaerji, Zhalantun and Harbin developed from this.

After the October Revolution, the northern section was jointly established by China and the Soviet Union. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the whole line was collectively called China Changchun Railway. Dong Qing Railway refers to a section of Siberian Railway built by Russia in the late Qing Dynasty, from Chita, Russia to Vladivostok, Russia via Manzhouli, Harbin and Suifenhe in China.