|
 The
ethnic Russians in China living in Ili, Tacheng, Altay and Urumqi
in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and in the Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region.
They first began moving to China from Tsarist
Russia after the 18th century. More entered various parts of
Xinjiang after the 19th century, and even after the October
Revolution in 1917.
They speak Russian, their customs and clothing
are almost identical to those of the Russians in Russia, and
most of them believe in the Orthodox Eastern Church.
Before the founding
of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Russians living
in towns were mostly employed in various repairing businesses,
transport, handicrafts, horticulture, animal husbandry and bee-keeping.
In rural areas, groups of about 10 Russian families lived together
in small villages. They reclaimed and cultivated the wasteland
on the banks of the Ili and Tekes rivers.
They had achieved
a fairly high level of development in production and culture.
But under reactionary rule, they were exploited and oppressed.
The Russians
living in urban areas now work mainly in industry, transport,
finance, trade and medicine.
Although the
Russian ethnic group in China has a small population, it has
deputies to the National People's Congress and the regional
People's Congress. They take an active part in running state
and regional affairs.
|
|
