In the midst of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, there has been a notable development in the relationship between Russia and China. Russia has decided to open its home port of Vladivostok to Chinese commercial shipping, signifying a deepening connection between the two nations. This move, which allows for the "cross-border transport of domestic goods," was announced by China's state-run Global Times newspaper, citing the General Administrations of Customs China.
The trade between China and Russia has been steadily growing, with the previous year's numbers reaching a record-breaking $190 billion. This increase in trade has occurred despite a decline in Russian imports from European countries due to sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine.
Vladivostok, formerly known as Haishenwai and once a part of China, was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1860 under the Convention of Peking. Since then, goods from northern Chinese provinces have been transported overland to Dalian and other ports in the south. Vladivostok, with its 2,300 workers, 15 berths, and 45 cranes, is the largest port in the Russian Far East. It handles over 2,000 vessels annually and dealt with more than 13 million tons of cargo last year.
The opening of Vladivostok to Chinese commercial shipping should be seen in the context of the deepening defense ties between China and Russia. Grant Newsham, a senior researcher with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, highlights that Russian forces operating from Vladivostok have already garnered American attention. He believes that Chinese access to the port would expand China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) operational options, adding to the concerns of Japan, the United States, and South Korea.
Newsham draws a parallel between Chinese military access to Vladivostok and the U.S. Navy gaining access to a Vietnamese port, suggesting that it would be advantageous for the Americans and worrisome for the Chinese. He points out the joint military activities and increasingly complex training exercises conducted by the PLA and Russian forces, including coordinated naval and air operations near Japan.
Despite this development, Russia remains wary of the possibility of China attempting to occupy its Far Eastern territory. As a result, it is likely that Russian authorities will limit Chinese military access to Vladivostok. Nevertheless, for now, Russia and China share strategic interests centered around their mutual aversion towards the United States and their desire to undermine it, leading to joint military activities.
While some experts view the port access deal as having limited military significance, James Brown, an international affairs expert at Temple University's Japan campus, suggests that the Russians will take precautions to protect the Pacific Fleet from prying eyes. He notes that Vladivostok was a closed city during the Soviet period, and this mentality has not disappeared within military circles.