Review: The subject of this research is the economic activities of Chinese entrepreneurs in the border areas of the Russian Far East during the 1990’s. Over the recent decade of the XX century, the Chinese migrants have developed a dynamic business activity in the bordering Far Eastern territories, which led to continuous cross-cultural interaction between the two essentially different cultures. The system of international economic contacts established in the region at this time, can be described through the category of “ethnic entrepreneurship”. Particular attention is given to the traces of ethnic entrepreneurship manifested in the border areas of the Russian Far East during the 1990’s. The authors examine the specificity of the ethnic (Chinese) entrepreneurship in the contact zone of China-Russia cross-civilizational interaction, as well as socioeconomic situation in the Russian Far East at the end of the XX century. The article provides characteristics to the terms of “ethic entrepreneurship” and “ethnic entrepreneurs”, introducing these categories into the discourse of historical science in corresponding subject area for the first time. Territorial framework include the regions of the Russian Far East bordering with China, where ethnic entrepreneurship has expanded in the 1990’s. Overall, this can be described as a complex sociocultural and economic phenomenon that laid the foundation for the formation of transboundary space in the Far East in the XXI century. The acquired historical experience of communication between the Russian population and Chinese migrants has a direct impact on the current development of China-Russia relations, as well as requires further examination and generalization.

Keywords: Sino-Russian relations, Chinese migrants, economic activity, border areas, the Russian Far East, Chinese entrepreneurs, ethnic entrepreneurship, joint ventures, informal economy, Guanxi