The study analyzes the role of the Chinese factor in developing the agriculture of the southern regions of the Russian Far East. The role of Chinese labor migrants, business activity with Chinese capital, the state of agriculture, and socioeconomic development of the Jewish Autonomous Oblast are considered in the most detail. Insufficient official statistics and reported data determine the study's wide use of materials from federal agencies, regional executive authorities, various Internet sites, and interviews and information collected by the author during field research. It is shown that the involvement of Chinese labor migrants in agriculture facilitates the development and use of land; however, it has an insignificant effect on the regional economy, intensifies administrative problems of local agricultural producers, sharpens environmental prob lems, and indirectly decreases the quality of life of the population in the countryside. The basis for stabilizing the agricultural situation is the clear position of the authorities in achieving long term branch indices taking into account the support of local agricultural producers and regular monitoring of foreign business activity.

No abstract

Commercial conflict has limited American soy exports to the biggest market, China, providing Russian farmers an opportunity to enter the Chinese market. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture and the Russian Soybean Union have established a program to promote soybean production and processing. Chinese farmers in the Russian Far East (RFE) and high profits from soybean production make new opportunities and challenges for local farmers. We analyze how the soybean development plan has fared so far and the role of Chinese farmers in Russia. The current Sino-Russian agricultural agreement has little chance of increasing soybean production because of tariffs, unstable regulatory policies, and restrictions on seeds and labor. The scope of the soybean industry can be developed if Russian authorities will take a more liberal approach in Chinese-Russian cooperation.