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Ethnic Russians in China (simplified Chinese: 俄罗斯族) form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. They are the descendants of Russians who settled in China, and hold Chinese rather than Russian citizenship.
[edit] History
The first Russians recorded to have settled in China were the Albazin Cossacks who joined the Manchu imperial guard in 1685. Significant immigration began in 1897 with the construction of the China Far East Railway and increased after Russia's October Revolution. In the years after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, many Russians either emigrated to Australia or were repatriated to the Soviet Union; only a minority remained behind in China.
There is a district of Beijing known as Russiatown. It is settled primarily by Russian tradesmen from Siberia. The focal point of the district is a large market. Business signs are mostly in Russian and written in the Cyrillic alphabet, a surprise to many tourists.
[edit] Prominent ethnic Russians in China
[edit] See also
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