The Study of Russian-Chinese Problems of Border Delimitation in the Late 17th - Early 18th Centuries by the Head of the Academic Squad G.F. Miller

Abstract

The article reviews the first attempts of combined approach to the study of cross-border problems that came to a head between Russia and China in the end of the 17th — beginning of 18th centuries by head of the academic detachment G.F. Miller. The relations of the two states in the designated period of time were quite complex and intense. Conditions for the development of normal political and economic ties, exchange of cultural and historical experience as such did not exist. The Chinese side traditionally considered its neighbors «uneducated barbarians» and did not seek to find good neighborly points of support. The Russian state did not have sufficient forces to fully integrate the eastern frontiers and implement active policies of integrating the south-eastern territories into its sphere of influence, still tried to expand into Transbaikalia, the Amur region and further on in the Far East. By founding new fortresses, barracks, and border posts in the 17th century Russia created the most important strategic base to move to the east, which China attempted to prevent in the strongest possible terms. This confrontation turned into a local-regional conflict with subsequent military confrontation and the emergence of a top-priority problem in the form of the Amur issue with mutual territorial claims. The head of the academic detachment GF Miller studied the nuances and tried to solve the regional problem theoretically. The researcher carefully examined a huge number of different sources and wrote a number of works. The conclusions he presented, however, were perceived by contemporaries ambiguously and in most cases did not find practical implementation. Nevertheless, G.F. Miller was the first scientist who consistently tried to understand the conflicts of the border armed conflict between the Russian and the Chinese state at the turn of the 17th — 18th centuries.