China lost control much of the northern territory of Manchuria (latter day Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin provinces) from 1895 until the end of World War II and the defeat of the Japanese. The area was highly volatile and controlled via a series of treaties by both Russia and Japan. The Russians developed Harbin as a transportation hub to bring goods from Europe and Moscow into China, the city during the early 1900s having a reputation as a fashion center outsripping even Shanghai. The Japanese concentrated their efforts further south along the Jilin and Liaoning coastlines, and especially in Dalian. Pictured is a 1917 Chinese rubles bank note that was issued by the occupying Russian government for circulation in Harbin, during a time that the city was massively invested in and settled by white Russians.

This China cultural article is one of a regular series we are running at China Briefing. Conducting business in China is more than just legal and tax advice, one has to “feel” the country and its rhythms as well in order to properly advise clients on conducting business in this massive country. These China cultural articles are intended to assist with a greater business understanding of the background to doing business in China, and are provided by the research team at Dezan Shira & Associates. To view the China business cultural archives, please click here.