Changes in Non-Governmental Exchanges between Russia and China Since 1991

Abstract

Non-governmental exchange refers to people-to-people contact between two or more specific countries. Since 1991, both Russia and China have each experienced “a time of transition” in their political and economic environment, which has led to several critical changes in several aspects of non-governmental exchanges. The content of these changes, along with the trends and problems behind these changes, are studied in the thesis, whose aim is to further our understanding of the relationship between Russia and China. This thesis can be divided into four parts. The Introduction briefly introduces the background of the study, listing studies related to the topic and research questions: what are the trends in the history of non-governmental exchanges between Russia and China? Which problems can be observed in the contacts? What is likely to happen in the future? In Part Two, the content of non-governmental exchanges between Russia and China is discussed in several different aspects, including non-government trade, cultural and educational contacts, and tourism. In Part Three, three general trends and two major problems of Sino-Russian non-governmental exchanges are presented and analyzed. In the Conclusion, the whole thesis is recapitulated; on the basis of the study, several predictions about the future relations are made.