FSB fears China could annex vital region in Russia

Russia is reportedly concerned that its neighbor, China, may attempt to annex several regions in the country’s Far East, according to a leaked document from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

The New York Times, which reviewed the eight-page document, reports that President Vladimir Putin fears Chinese leader Xi Jinping may try to take control of parts of eastern Russia — including the key port city of Vladivostok — despite the outwardly friendly relations between the two countries.

The document, which is undated but believed to have been written in late 2023 or early 2024, sheds light on growing distrust between Moscow and Beijing. According to the report, Chinese nationalists still view large swaths of Russian territory as having been unjustly acquired through 19th-century treaties.

In particular, the Treaty of Peking (1860) established Vladivostok as part of Russian territory and defined the border between the two nations along the Amur and Ussuri rivers. However, the FSB notes that Beijing has recently shown renewed interest in the region, particularly due to strategic Arctic maritime routes that could dramatically reduce shipping times for Chinese exports.

The leak comes at a time when Russia’s geopolitical dependence on China has grown significantly since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, highlighting underlying tensions despite their alliance.

(QG - Source: Newsweek - Picture : © Unsplash)