Issues of Improvement and Reorganization of Russian-Chinese Trade in the Notes and Projects of its Participants

Abstract

The article is devoted to the projects of the Siberian merchants to improve the Russian-Chinese trade through changes in its organization to attract more participants, transfer operations to Chinese and Mongolian territories, and develop transport infrastructure. Particular attention is paid to proposals for the unification of merchant capital for the development of commercial development of Southeast Asia and the Pacific region. Even in the initial period of the Russian-Chinese bargaining, projects of the Irkutsk vice-governor L. Lang and Governor A. Bril appeared, proposing to create a single merchant company under the auspices of the state, like the East India Companies of England and Holland. Further projects were devoted to the transfer of trade to the territory of the Qing Empire, the expansion of the social composition of participants through the formation of merchant companies. The analysis of merchant notes and projects allows us to speak of their authors as creative and experienced entrepreneurs seeking to expand Russian-Chinese trade ties and strengthen the empire's position on the southeastern borders of Russia.