.

Currently, the Irkutsk region has a rather tense demographic situation.

According to Irkstat, due to migration decline and low natural population growth, the population of the region in 2016 decreased by 3.8 thousand people and amounted to 2.409 mil. for January 2017.

According to the statistics of the ministry, the migration regime is more often violated by natives of Uzbekistan. In 2016, 307 people were sent to Uzbekistan, only 75 to China. By law, all expatriated foreigners will not be able to enter the territory of Russia for five years The state of the migration situation in the Irkutsk region, the measures taken to stabilize it [Sostoyaniye migratsionnoy situatsiiv Irkutskoy oblastii prinimayemyye mery po yeye stabilizatsii]. Department of Social and Economic Problems and Social Processes Research Department of Social and Economic Problems and Social Processes Research. Available at: http://www.irk.gov.ru/conf/materialy-zasedaniy/%D0%A1%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B0_%20%D0%A1%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%8F%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5%20%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B9%20%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%82%D1%83%D0%B0%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8.pdf (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Due to the negative migration balance, there is an acute shortage of labor resources in the region. In this case, there are several problems associated with the employment of foreign citizens. First, the market is dominated by low-skilled jobs with low wages. However, there is a mismatch between the demand and supply of labor, the number of unemployed citizens has increased, and the outflow of qualified personnel has increased as well. The development of migration policy can slow down the process of population decline. However, at the same time, attracting foreigners can cause protest from the local population. The Migration Service must promptly employ incoming foreign citizens and at the same time protect the labor market for citizens of the Russian Federation. If foreigners cannot find work, the Migration Service should try to reduce the period of stay of foreigners in Russia to a minimum, while avoiding protest actions both from the region's residents and from migrants.

In order to have the right to work from a physical or legal person a foreign citizen must obtain a special document - a patent. According to statistics, the number of quotas issued by the state for the use of foreign labor decreases every year Russian government website. Available at: Http://government.ru/info/32203/ (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Employers who hire foreigners are obliged to pay the state insurance premiums for compulsory social insurance and compulsory pension insurance, as well as contributions in connection with maternity from the first working day of foreigners in Russia. This will make it possible to equalize the burden on employers in connection with the hiring of foreign and Russian citizens.

Often, foreign citizens with a low level of education, with a poor understanding of all-Russian sociocultural values and social behavior rules, cause the fear of migrants. This, in turn, leads to negative trends in society, the growth of nationalist sentiment.

The overwhelming majority of the region's population (77%) believe that the government should deal with the adaptation of migrants. Concerns among residents of the Irkutsk region are caused by the threats associated with criminality, ignoring the local culture, traditions and customs by visitors.

For this reason, from January 1, 2015, every foreign citizen who wants to apply for a work permit, temporary residence permit, residence permit and citizenship of the Russian Federation, along with other documents, is obliged to provide a certificate confirming the knowledge of the Russian language, the history of Russia and the fundamentals of the legislation of the Russian Federation.

It is important to promote the integration of Chinese migrants into the regional socio-cultural environment through the expansion of cultural and educational activities of national non-profit organizations, support from their part (informational, legal, reference) integration processes among immigrants. Properly organized process of adaptation of migrants to the host society also helps in the fight against illegal migration and illegal activities of migrants.

A. Larin in his article identified the following types of illegal activities of Chinese migrants (Larin, A. 2009b):

1) violation of the rules of entry through the border, residence and employment. In many respects, these violations are caused by the complicated and lengthy process of processing documents for import and with the rigidity of visa regulations;

2) illegal activities related to the transport of goods across the border (smuggling);

3) criminal economic activities in the territory of the Russian Federation: the transfer of funds abroad, poaching, tax evasion, etc.

4) criminal offenses: abductions, murders, extortion. According to Larin A.G., this category of crimes is usually committed by Chinese migrants in their own environment, but few cases of violations are known on the territory of the Russian Federation. For example, in 2005, there was an increase in abductions of Chinese businessmen living in Irkutsk. Criminals, under threat of physical harm, demanded a ransom from relatives affected.

To fight against illegal migration., the Government of Russia used such measures as the collection of fines, the conduct of a special operation on a permanent basis under the names "Foreigner" and "Illegal", which have already been mentioned above.

The fight against illegal migration in the Irkutsk region is taking place within the framework of methods and tools similar to the entire Russian Federation Dezhina D. (2008) On the formation of a system of guarantees of the rights and freedoms of foreign citizens in the Russian Federation [K voprosu o formirovanii sistemy garantiy prav i svobod inostrannykh grazhdan v Rossiyskoy Federatsii]. Turizm: pravo i ekonomika. No. 2, pp. 26-29..

Chinese migrants often used tourist groups, in order to linger on the territory of Russia. Thus, the members of the group, when they came to Russia, did not return home with the rest of the group, but remained until the end of the visa period, and sometimes longer, for the purpose of trading in markets or other illegal activities. Since collection of fines from travel agencies was ineffective, in 2006 the visa-free tourist visa was extended from 30 days established by the bilateral agreement of 2000 to 15 days Siberian forests illegally cut down and exported abroad [Sibirskiye lesa nelegal'no vyrubayut i vyvozyat za rubezh]. EPOCH TIMES. Available at: https://www.epochtimes.ru/content/view/31346/3/ (accessed 12 May 2019). .

In addition to tourist groups, the Chinese often used training in the universities of Irkutsk and other cities as an opportunity to linger and settle on the territory of Russia.

In this case, the purpose of Chinese was not to study, but to engage in commercial activities and other types of business, in some cases criminal.

According to experts, at the beginning of the 21st century, one could say that the state of affairs in the logging and processing industry of the region reached a critical point. Chinese groups, buying up the illegally cut wood of valuable species, then realized it as legally obtained Chernov A., Sukhov S., Zhigalov N., Borodulya Ye. (2006) The impact of migration processes on the crime situation in the Irkutsk region [Vliyaniye migratsionnykh protsessov na kriminogennuyu situatsiyu v Ir-kutskoy oblasti]. Biznes v zakone, No. 3. Available at: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/vliyanie-migratsionnyh-protsessov-na-kriminogennuyu-situatsiyu-v-irkutskoy-oblasti (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, since December 16, 1993 the Russian authorities introduced a decree "On attracting and using foreign labor in the Russian Federation," in order to reduce the number of migrants engaged in unregistered labor activity. According to this Decree, for the hiring of foreign employees of the organization it is necessary to obtain an annual license from the Federal Migration Service. Employer can obtain a license by providing documents confirming guarantees of observance of workers' rights, as well as conclusions of executive authorities on the need and feasibility of this project (Larin, A. 2009b).

Chinese businessmen showed special interest in Russian non-ferrous metal and wood. They actively engaged in their buying up in Russia and delivery to China.

China also provided assistance to Russia to combat illegal migration. Therefore, in 2006, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Russia and China jointly established a working group on migration issues. According to Chinese experts: "there was not a single case where the Chinese side refused to accept a Chinese citizen who illegally crossed the border. After that, they subject him or her to criminal and administrative prosecution." (Larin, A. 2009b).

CHAPTER 2 The Influence of the Chinese Diaspora on the Business and Cultural Areas of the Irkutsk Region

As described in the first chapter, in the early 1990s, the flow of Chinese migrants shifted to the Far East, to Siberia, and then to the western regions of the country. At that time, there were traders, agricultural workers, builders and students among the visiting Chinese. Pendulum migrants paved the way for permanent communities and long-term settlement. According to Viktor Dyatlov, “the diaspora began to form before our eyes and with our participation” (Dyatlov, V. 2002).

The massive and rapid penetration of the Chinese caused a wary and even openly hostile attitude of the local population. A yellow danger syndrome or fear of the colonization of Siberia by the Chinese has appeared. Paradoxically, all this happens with the simultaneous announcement of a course on strategic partnership and cooperation in the 21st century.

Before proceeding directly to the analysis of the diaspora, it is necessary to give a brief description of the region under study. This will help to form a general idea of ??the economic and demographic situation in the region. Moreover, it will show how attractive the Irkutsk region is for foreign citizens.

The Irkutsk region has a powerful industrial and scientific potential, its own scientific and educational complex and a developed infrastructure. Due to its advantageous geographical location, the region has large reserves of minerals and energy. The main sectors of the economy are forestry, woodworking, pulp and paper, engineering, etc. The special value of the region is its proximity to Baikal, which means access to large reserves of fresh water. In addition, Lake Baikal is a famous natural landmark of the Irkutsk region, which annually attracts many foreign tourists.

The administrative center of the Irkutsk region is the city of Irkutsk. This city with a population of 600 thousand people is called the cultural and economic center of Eastern Siberia.

Due to the small number of people in the region, there has always been a shortage of labor resources. The availability of jobs and the factors listed above make the region attractive to migrants.

However, due to the tightening of immigration laws, as already mentioned in the first part of this work, visitors have difficulty finding well-paid jobs and obtaining all the necessary documents.

Despite the fact that the Irkutsk region does not border China, the long-standing historical ties, economic opportunities, and the developed infrastructure make it an important element of the transit, temporary stay and resettlement of the Chinese (Larin, A. 2009a). Due to its geographical position, the region has become a transit point for the legal and illegal migration of Chinese to European Russia and abroad.

Every year more and more signs in Chinese appear on the streets of the city. Shops are flooded with Chinese tourists. During the study period, significant changes occurred in the region, some of which cause serious concern to Irkutsk residents and residents of the Irkutsk region. It is very important to identify and show what impact Chinese migrants had on the appearance of the region, what really should cause concern, and what are only unfounded stereotypes.

2.1 Economic Activities of the Diaspora in the Region

The Chinese diaspora living in the territory of the Irkutsk region has a great influence on many spheres of life in the region. It is quite difficult to assess the role of the Chinese in the business life of the region for several reasons. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, most Chinese migrants were small retailers. Customs and tax authorities found it difficult to track their activities due to low sales volumes or the illegal nature of trade. Another part of Chinese entrepreneurs invited Russian companies to work as directors of enterprises for their own safety, and registered companies as local, not Chinese. Thus, investing money through nominees (Russian citizens), migrants tried to avoid paperwork and taxes. This tendency still remains, therefore it is impossible to calculate the exact number of Chinese enterprises operating in the region.

In addition to retailing, Chinese migrants have also been engaged in agriculture and growing vegetables in the region for a long time. In the early 2000s, such a profession as a builder was spread among the visitors. With the change in the ruble exchange rate, their number has noticeably decreased.

With the increase in the number of migrants arriving in the region, special services appeared for their convenience. For example, in the early 2000s in the Irkutsk region there were special places, the so-called “nochlezhka” for small traders and workers. These are rented dormitories and private apartments, converted into a cross between a hotel and warehouses. At the same time, they rarely complied with sanitary, fire and immigration standards. Upon arrival in Russia, a foreign citizen is obliged to pass migration registration within three days. The newcomers of the “nochlezhka” often neglected the observance of this law. Therefore, the police carefully monitored the already functioning institutions of this type and only the nascent ones.

“Nochlezhkas” of such a plan were common in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but they still exist. Therefore, in the beginning of the 2010s, on Podgornaya Street, in the very center of Irkutsk, in the middle of old, dilapidated houses and iron containers, two modern five-storey buildings appeared. The true purpose of these buildings is unknown, but during repeated inspections, Chinese illegals living inside were detained. One of these checks was carried out in 2012 Eurohouse in the center of slums [Yevrodoma v tsentre trushchob]. SM Nomer Odin (2012). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2012/08/009005.html (accessed 12 May 2019)..

The work of illegal and temporary Chinese migrants creates the possibility of massive tax evasion from individuals, evasion from migration and registration fees for entrepreneurs. This is beneficial to business owners, but not only increases the number of illegal Chinese in the region, but also deprives local residents of jobs.

Now, it is not easy to give an exact number of Chinese in the region, it is even more difficult to count the number of illegal immigrants among them. According to experts, the undercount in the 2002 census was from 5% to 10% of the population. In addition, for a localized group like the Chinese, undercounting could be much more significant (Ryazantsev, S. 2016). In 2010, according to the census data, only 1,118 Chinese lived in the region, which is only 0.05% of the total population of the Irkutsk Region, which was equal to 2,428,750 people. Nevertheless, to say how many of them really are difficult.

In this chapter, it is planned to consider the main directions of economic activity of Chinese migrants in the region and the changes that have occurred over the past 20 years.

2.1.1 Chinese Entrepreneurship in the Forest Sector

The forest business is still profitable for the Chinese. According to official statistics, more than a third of all timber from Russia is illegally exported abroad. From 2005 to 2007, the number of such cases doubled. This is a very big business (Datsyshen, V. 2014). It is believed that in China, deforestation is prohibited due to environmental problems and therefore they are actively buying up forest from other countries. In fact, there is no complete ban on deforestation. There are serious limitations State Council for the period of the "13th Five-Year Plan" Approval of annual felling quota [№ъОсФє№ШУЪИ«№ъ“К®ИэОе”ЖЪјдДкЙ­БЦІЙ·ҐПЮ¶оµДЕъёґ].ЦР»ЄИЛГс№ІєН№ъЦРСлИЛГсХюё®Available at: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2016-02/16/content_5041486.htm (accessed 12 May 2019)., but with a license, it is possible Forest harvesting update management measures [Й­БЦІЙ·ҐёьРВ№ЬАн°м·Ё]. №ъјТБЦТµєНІЭФ­ѕЦ Available at: http://www.forestry.gov.cn/main/3950/20170314/459873.html (accessed 12 May 2019).. However, by 2020, Beijing plans to completely stop deforestation of natural forests and reduce commercial logging by 20%, which may affect the scale of wood exports from Russia China's State Council announces plans to reduce deforestation [ЦР№ъ№ъОсФє№«ІјјхЙЩЙ­БЦІЙ·ҐјЖ»®] Available at: https://cn.nytimes.com/china/20150320/c20logging/ (accessed 12 May 2019). .

Illegal logging is most common in export-oriented forest regions, particularly in the Irkutsk region. In 2003, according to the regional administration, about 23 million cubic meters of forest were harvested in the Irkutsk Region. The World Wide Fund for Nature insists that the rate be at least 25% higher. A quarter of the volume of timber harvested in the region is exported, most of it is exported to China Forest has grown to the exchange [Les doros do birzhi]. Kommersant. (2005) Available at: https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/610673 (accessed 12 May 2019)..

China's growing demand for wood contributes to an increase in the number of illegal logging involving small and medium-sized Russian companies. The need for timber is so great that Chinese leaders do not take any serious action to combat smuggling. Chinese companies themselves invest in logging in the Far East and Siberia, either through owners of Russian enterprises or through their own enterprises, some of which operate illegally.

The problems associated with illegal logging should first be addressed at the legislative level. In 2007, responsibility for the preservation of Russian forests passed from federal to regional authorities. This had a number of negative consequences. It can be said that the new Forest Code actually eliminated the system of state forest protection and reduced the number of professional foresters. The system of control over forest management has deteriorated, they have stopped picking up chips and sawdust, which increase the risk of fires.

Due to reduced funding, illegal logging has begun to grow. Foresters increasingly began to ignore the black loggers, whose services are often used by Chinese companies. Since illegal logging takes place in remote regions, it is almost impossible to track them. In the end, this leads to deforestation and fires.

In addition, it is worth mentioning corruption at customs. At the Russian border, with connections, you can purchase all the necessary documents for the export of even rare species of relic wood.

Chinese working in forestry have many years of experience in the region. They have relations with officials, which allows them to carry out illegal activities effectively. They find ways to circumvent restrictions from Russian legislation.

For example, the increase in the number of timber enterprises with Chinese participation in the territory of the Russian Federation was caused by the government introduced tariffs for the export of raw wood from Russia in 2007. Tariffs increased from 6.5% to 20%, and a year later they increased again to 25%. In some cases, duties on untreated timber even reach 80%. According to the plans of the authorities, the increase in customs duties should have contributed to an increase in the flow of investments (including foreign) in the domestic woodworking industry, as well as to replenish the federal budget.

For example, the increase in the number of timber enterprises with Chinese participation in the territory of the Russian Federation was associated with the introduction of tariffs for the export of raw wood from Russia in 2007. Tariffs increased from 6.5% to 20%, and a year later, they increased again to 25%. In some cases, duties on untreated timber even reach 80% Rates of export customs duties on round wood, lumber and plywood, since September 2012 [Stavki vyvoznykh tamozhennykh poshlin na kruglyy les, pilomaterialy i faneru, s sentyabrya 2012 g.]. Available at: https://www.lesonline.ru/law/?id=16 (accessed 12 May 2019). . According to the plans of the authorities, the increase in customs duties should have contributed to an increase in the flow of investments (including foreign) in the domestic woodworking industry, as well as to replenish the federal budget.

The increase in tariffs immediately affected trade with China. Due to the new rules, the volume of wood exports after the ten-year growth began to fall for the first time. In 2007, it was equal to $ 2.7 billion, and in 2009, it was already $ 1.9 billion. Since the duties for exporting sawn wood from Russia are significantly lower (only 10%), the Chinese business took advantage of this. Instead of investing in deep processing of timber, Chinese entrepreneurs began to move to Russia and open their own sawmills. If in 2008, 152 timber companies with Chinese participation were registered, then in 2017 there were at least 564. Chinese migrants mainly engage in logging: they draw their equipment and specialists, and Russians hire workers to lower positions Great Chinese logging. What really threatens the Siberian forest [Velikaya kitayskaya vyrubka. Chto real'no ugrozhayet sibirskomu lesu]. Moscow Carnegie Center (2018). Available at: https://carnegie.ru/commentary/77100 (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Now the region is implementing a project for marking all harvested wood, which has made it possible to reduce the number of illegal logging by almost 50%. According to the regional governor Sergey Levchenko: “The volume of illegal logging has decreased from the beginning of the year to December 10, 2018 from 1093.1 thousand cubic meters to 574.4 thousand cubic meters or by 47.5% compared to the same period last year.” The number of illegal logging in the Irkutsk region decreased by almost 50% in 2018 [Chislo nezakonnykh rubok lesa v Irkutskoy oblasti sokratilos' pochti na 50% v 2018 godu]. Available at: http://news-ria.com/obschestvo/111698-5954754.html (accessed 12 May 2019). Despite such a result, the number of illegal logging in the region remains significant.

It is worth noting that attempts by China and Russia to agree on deep processing of wood at a higher level do not always lead to real results. Many projects between the two countries in the timber industry remain either at the negotiation stage or at the stage of preparation for construction.

Summing up, we can say that Chinese migrants reluctantly invest in the development of the Russian woodworking industry. They are trying to find alternative ways to obtain the necessary resources. Thus, companies with the participation of Chinese migrants engaged in wood processing appear in the country and the region in order to avoid high export tariffs. The imperfection of the Russian forest legislation and the absence of a normally functioning system of forest protection only contributes to an increase in the number of illegal logging.

The practice of marking wood shows positive results, it is hoped that other methods will be found that can help reduce the number of illegal logging in the region.

2.1.2 "Shanghai" Market in the Center of Irkutsk

In 1992-1993, because of post-socialist transformations, a market began to form in the center of Irkutsk, known in the city as "Shanghai". It became the center of the economic and social life of the local population and the Chinese. In addition, he played an important role as a market for the poor. Cheap prices were achieved mainly due to the low quality of goods.

Sanitary norms were often violated in the market, minor and major offenses were committed (such as corruption, racketeering and theft). Chinese traders massively avoided paying taxes and fees (Larin, A. 2009a).

The market held a large share in the city budget. In 2002, the budget revenues amounted to 3,952 million rubles. In addition to paying taxes by the institution (market), taxes are also paid by people working in it. For example, there was a large service sector where many locals were employed. There was also a non-taxable “gray” employment, and “black” - dishonest officials, pickpockets, etc. In terms of income in the “black” and “gray” sectors, it is impossible to obtain any even approximate data (Dyatlov, V. 2002).

In addition, from the negative consequences of the appearance of the market on the streets of the city, it is also possible to call police arbitrariness and extortion. Any employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in uniform could check documents from Chinese merchants and collect fines without writing a receipt. There was also the problem of illegal migration. Despite the fact that in order to rent a place, it was necessary to provide documents such as temporary registration, a visa and a certificate of business activity. In practice, even the market administration recognized that some tenants did not have rental rights. This was confirmed by regular checks of passport and visa and migration services.

In this regard, in the early 2000s government policy was adopted to eliminate open marketplaces. Requirements for the paperwork for business activities and trade rules have become much stricter (Zhuravskaya, T. 2014). In 2004, the city administration raised the issue of market transfer. All these attempts were met with strong resistance from both the Chinese, who trade in the market, and the local population.

The results of a sociological survey of residents of Irkutsk, conducted in 2005, can be seen in the figure below.

Fig. 1. The results of a sociological survey of the Irkutsk region on the transfer of the “Shanghai market”

According to the survey, residents of the central part of the city spoke out against moving because of the favorable market location. About 39.5% of citizens admitted that street markets spoil the appearance of the city, 32.7% believe that poor-quality goods are sold there, and 15.2% say that illegal migration accompanying such trade Whether to transfer the market [Nuzhno li perenosit' "Shankhay"?]. SM Nomer odin (2005) Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2005/02/003002.html (accessed 12 May 2019)..

In a short time, in 2007, zero quotas were introduced for foreigners engaged in trade. They were forbidden to trade in open markets. Nevertheless, migrants were able to adapt to changes in legislation. First, open markets are moved to closed buildings and renamed into shopping centers that are not subject to the law. Secondly, organizations opened by Chinese migrants and having the form of ownership "LLC" or "Individual Entrepreneur", began to take shape for the citizens of the Russian Federation, the so-called nominees, and continued to work according to the old scheme. Thirdly, in each trade pavilion, along with the Chinese seller, a Russian salesman had to work.

The local population most often treated Chinese entrepreneurs working in the markets, not as businessmen, but as illegals and undesirable elements.

In the local newspapers more and more often began to appear information about the closure of the market. In the spring of 2014, the market (the “Shanghai” market) was liquidated, despite a significant contribution to the city budget and an important role in supplying the poor. At that time, it, together with the adjacent infrastructure, occupied an area of about 278 thousand square meters (Dyatlov, V. 2008).

The liquidation of the Shanghai market caused the Chinese market to move to other trading platforms. As an alternative, entrepreneurs were offered to move to the Pokrovsky market. It is located relatively close to the center. Within a few weeks, the territory of the Pokrovsky market has changed dramatically, turning into a bright, lively area. The market itself has received a new name "Kitay-gorod".

Free buses from various districts of the city were organized for the residents of Irkutsk. Opening hours for wholesale entrepreneurs are not limited. They can come for the goods even at 4-5 in the morning. A developed infrastructure appeared on the market, airline offices, hairdressers, cafes of various national cuisines, including Chinese, opened. Planned opening of the hotel for entrepreneurs. The whole territory occupied by tenants was divided into sectors: separate blocks for clothes, shoes, building materials, dishes, etc.

In 2014, the area of the “Kitay-gorod” market was only about 30 thousand square meters, but by the summer of 2016, its area reached 70 thousand square meters. In addition to it, there are also smaller markets with an area of 260 sq. m. up to 25 thousand sq. m. in the city. (Dyatlov, V. 2008).

Despite the liquidation of the “Shanghai” market, around the same time, the construction of a new shopping center “Shanghai City Mall” began. The mall was built on the site of a liquidated market with the participation of local authorities. It was decided to keep the old name, in order to position the shopping center as a place to buy cheap things. Thus, according to V. Dyatlova, the word “Shanghai” itself has been transformed from a proper name to a common name (Dyatlov, V. 2008).

According to a study conducted in 2014, at least ten large and small “Chinese” markets operating in various parts of the city were recorded. They covered almost all areas of the city as a non-formalized trading network (Dyatlov, V. 2008).

The number of people trading in such markets is very difficult to determine. According to the mayor's office of Irkutsk, the number of merchants on the Shanghai market changed from 500-600 people in 1993 to 2,500 people in 2000. Then, under pressure from the authorities, after a series of checks, their number dropped to 1000-1300. In small markets, usually work up to 150-200 people. It is worth mentioning that these are approximate numbers, since not all traders fall into these estimates due to the uncertainty of the boundaries of the markets.

There are articles about checks made to detect counterfeit in local newspapers. For example, in 2012, fake tracksuits, jackets, pants were seized "What brand of thing?" ["What brand of thing?"] (2012). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2012/27/014002.html (accessed 12 May 2019).. In 2018, about a thousand illegally imported fur coats from natural fur of Chinese origin were found About a thousand of fur coats illegally imported from China were found in stores in Irkutsk [Vyyavleno okolo tysyachi nezakonno vvezonnykh iz Kitaya shub v magazinakh Irkutska]. (2018) http://baikal-info.ru/v-magazinah-irkutska-vyyavili-okolo-tysyachi-nezakonno-vvezyonnyh-iz-kitaya-shub (accessed 12 May 2019)., as well as counterfeit honey Fear of merchants, "gifts" bringing [Boytes' torgovtsev, «dary» prinosyashchikh]. (2018). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/boytes-torgovcev-dary-prinosyashchih (accessed 12 May 2019).. For this reason, most often the local population associated the “Chinese” markets with products of poor quality, counterfeit and contraband products.

Summing up, we can say that the market has existed for more than 10 years. Then, after liquidation, it did not disappear completely. Chinese merchants fled to other Irkutsk markets. In addition, in response to government measures, a system of nominees emerged, mechanisms to avoid punishment by identifying new ways to avoid bans.

To replace the open "Chinese" markets came closed supermarkets and malls. New marketplaces such as “Kitay-gorod”, “Pekin”, “Shanghai City Mall”, etc. have appeared.

Chinese business is very volatile. It adapts to changes in the economy and politics, so it is no longer possible to eliminate it. Together with him, the city and people are changing, as well as the language and culture of the local population.

2.1.3 Agriculture

Another important activity of Chinese migrants in the Irkutsk region is agriculture. The first workers from China began to appear in the region in 1989. From the beginning of 1989, intermediary firms engaged in the hiring of labor appeared in China. (Dyatlov. V. 2002).

For some time this process was spontaneous and was practically not subject to legal regulation and control by the authorities. On December 16, 1993, a decree was adopted on the “Attraction and Use of Foreign Labor in the Russian Federation” (“O privlechenii i ispol'zovanii inostrannoy rabochey sily v Rossiyskoy Federatsii” On the attraction and use of foreign labor in the Russian Federation: Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated December 16, 1993. No 2146 // Coll. Acts of the President and the Government of the Russian Federation. 1993. No51. Art. 4934.). According to the decree, if the organization wants to hire foreigners, it must obtain an annual license from the Federal Migration Service.

Some of the information we can get from regional newspapers. In 2004, articles were published on the rich and fast collection of watermelons grown by the Chinese. To achieve this in the Siberian conditions, the Chinese, starting in April, put the furnace in the greenhouses. At first they were fired with coal, but after complaints from local residents about the smoke from greenhouses, the Chinese switched to wood The Chinese again planted watermelons [Kitaytsy opyat' posadili arbuzy]. (2014). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2004/23/003001.html (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Chinese vegetables and fruits are much cheaper than those sold by local residents, so it is difficult to compete with Chinese products. There are cases when local residents bought food from the Chinese and resold them at a higher price Where does Irkutsk fruit come from [Otkuda yest' irkutskiye frukty]. (2004). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2004/40/011001.html (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Since 2005, newspapers have been publishing articles about poisonous fertilizers smuggled from China. During this period of time, services controlling the activities of Chinese plantations are only beginning to function. Officials cannot answer such questions: where do Chinese greenhouses come from along the city line, who supply seeds and fertilizers, how do they fertilize vegetables and with whose permission they are sold in urban markets.

The Chinese illegally seize the land of local residents, build greenhouses on them and grow vegetables. At the same time, they do not eat grown foods. Vegetables are only for sale, for themselves they buy organic products from local farmers.

In 2005, Vladimir Reshetsky, head of the plant production department of the Irkutsk Region General Directorate of Agriculture, honestly admitted: “The mechanism for checking Chinese in Irkutsk is simply not developed and does not function. The Chinese are illegally working on their plantations. It is not known what fertilizers they use, whether they respect the dosage and processing time. ” Mystery of Chinese Tomatoes [Mystery of Chinese Tomatoes]. 2006. Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2006/24/003001.html (accessed 12 May 2019).

According to Yury Palkin, head of the laboratory of plant physiology and plant productivity, the Chinese widely use growth stimulants and physiologically active substances for growth. Plants are forced to ripen much faster, disrupting the cycles of development and accumulation of nutrients. As a result, vegetables have neither nutrients nor taste. Experts say that growth stimulants cause plants to produce unnaturally large fruits, in which there is no fruit juice at all, but the fiber content increases. “They are lower in sugar and vitamins. This is especially harmful, given that Chinese vegetables are cheaper, they are massively purchased in kindergartens, schools, hospitals and military units - places where, on the contrary, people are vital for improving nutrition with high-quality products, on the contrary, says Yuri Palkin Mystery of Chinese Tomatoes [Mystery of Chinese Tomatoes]. 2006. Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/sm/2006/24/003001.html (accessed 12 May 2019)..

As already mentioned in the first chapter, the right to work in the territory of the Russian Federation with a foreign citizen appears only after receiving a special document - a patent. In turn, the employer and the customer of works (services) have the right to attract and use foreign workers with a permit Federal Law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" dated July 25, 2002 No. 115-FL (last revised). Available at: http://docs.cntd.ru/document/901823501 (accessed 12 May 2019).. Each year, the state determines a certain number of quotas in different segments of the economy, including agriculture. According to statistics, this number decreases every year in order to protect the domestic market Migration policy over the past 6 years. [Migratsionnaya politika za posledniye 6 let.]. Available at: http://government.ru/info/32203/ (accessed 12 May 2019)..

In 2013, newspapers published information about the introduction of zero quotas in Irkutsk in the field of agriculture. The ban on work in the agricultural sector appeared due to numerous violations by foreign migrants, and first of all it affected the citizens of the PRC. As described above, they have been growing vegetables for a long time in the territory of the Irkutsk region using prohibited chemicals and pesticides Foreigners will be banned from working in agriculture in the Irkutsk region [Inostrantsam zapretyat rabotat' v sfere sel'skogo khozyaystva v Irkutskoy oblasti]. (2013). Available at: https://www.irk.ru/news/20130916/migrant/ (accessed 12 May 2019)..

In February 2014, the introduction of zero quotas was announced by the Governor of the Irkutsk Region Sergey Yeroshenko at a meeting with the heads of peasant farms of the Irkutsk region Governor: in 2014, there are no quotas for foreign labor employed in agriculture in the Irkutsk region [Gubernator: v 2014 ne buyet kvot na inostrannuyu rabochuyu silu, zanyatuyu v sfere sel'skogo khozyaystva v Irkutskoy oblasti]. (2014) Available at: http://irkobl.ru/news/archiv/60535/ (accessed 12 May 2019). .

The analysis of the documents “On the distribution of quotas for issuing work permits to foreign citizens O raspredelenii po sub"yektam Rossiyskoy Federatsii utverzhdennykh Pravitel'stvom Rossiyskoy Federatsii na 2018 god kvot na vydachu inostrannym grazhdanam, pribyvayushchim v Rossiyskuyu Federatsiyu na osnovanii vizy, razresheniy na rabotu i priglasheniy na v"yezd v Rossiyskuyu Federatsiyu v tselyakh osushchestvleniya trudovoy deyatel'nosti (s izmeneniyami na 26 noyabrya 2018 goda). Available at: http://docs.cntd.ru/document/542614565. (accessed 12 May 2019).” approved by the Government of the Russian Federation for the period from 2009 to 2019 confirmed that the number of patents, starting from 2014, has really decreased. The results can be seen in the table.

Table 1

The number of quotas for the issuance of foreign citizens (2009-2018)

Despite the introduction of a zero quota, articles about Chinese people engaged in agriculture continued to appear in the newspapers. These are articles with negative coloring. They say that Chinese migrants leave and leave destroyed greenhouses and warehouses with toxic chemicals and pesticides behind them. For example, in 2015, the supervisory authorities seized 840 kilograms of drugs of Chinese origin The Chinese go to the forest [Kitaytsy ukhodyat v les]. (2016). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/kitaycy-uhodyat-v-les (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Now foreigners are still working in agriculture, hiding from supervisory authorities The agricultural season near Irkutsk is already open [Sel'skokhozyaystvennyy sezon pod Irkutskom uzhe otkryt]. (2015). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/selskohozyaystvennyy-sezon-pod-irkutskom-uzhe-otkryt (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Despite the negative aspects, the Irkutsk region cooperates with the provinces of China in the field of agriculture. In 2016, an agreement was signed between the Irkutsk Region and Liaoning Province, under which agrarian cooperation was also stipulated Irkutsk region presented cooperation projects with China [Irkutskaya oblast' prezentovala proyekty sotrudnichestva s Kitayem]. RIA novosti. (2016). Available at: https://ria.ru/20161019/1479527348.html (accessed 12 May 2019).. Later, a delegation of experts from China visited the Irkutsk Region. They visited the local greenhouse facilities and concluded that the work was being carried out irrationally. In 2017, the Minister of Agriculture Ilya Sumarokov at a meeting of the public council at the Legislative Assembly reported that it was planned to build greenhouses for Chinese projects in Irkutsk. According to him, the design of such greenhouses will minimize the cost of their heating Like a stone wall [Kak za kamennoy stenoy]. (2017). Available at: http://baikal-info.ru/kak-za-kamennoy-stenoy (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Agriculture is still attractive for Chinese migrants. After the introduction of the zero quota, they continue to work in the agricultural sector illegally, which is confirmed by constant inspections of supervisory authorities.

At the same time, there is also a positive influence of Chinese migrants on the agriculture of the Irkutsk region. This is the implementation of cooperation with Liaoning Province for the development of agriculture in the region.

2.1.4 Tourism

Recently, more and more travelers from China visit the Irkutsk region. Lake Baikal attracted tourists to itself earlier, but after the fall of the ruble in 2014, their number increased significantly. According to the Federal Tourism Agency in recent years there has been an increase in the tourist flow from China to the region. According to the Federal State Statistics Service, in 2016 the region was visited by 1 million 288 thousand Chinese tourists (15% more than in 2015). In addition, in the eight months of 2017, about 36 thousand people arrived from China, which is 30% more than in the same period of 2016.

With the growing number of tourists, taxes paid by hotels, hostels and shops to the regional budget should also grow. However, this does not happen. Chinese entrepreneurs own part of the tourism business in the region, and usually work informally.

Since Chinese tourists are still afraid to travel to Russia without a team leader and an interpreter, they most often turn to the office of a Chinese travel agency and travel in a group. According to the scientist of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East (Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) Ivan Zuyenko: “Up to 80% of tourists from the PRC come to us in groups for visa-free travel. These are representatives of the middle class and below. Mass tourism is completely controlled by Chinese companies. ” As a Chinese tourist industry earns on Baikal [Kak kitayskiy turbiznes zarabatyvayet na Baykale]. (2017). Available at: https://www.irk.ru/news/articles/20170929/china/ (accessed 12 May 2019).

Chinese entrepreneurs quickly adapt to various changes and find profitable business ideas. Thus, the growing tourist flow from China also caused the emergence of hotels in the Irkutsk region. They either belong to the Chinese directly, or issued to nominees, citizens of the Russian Federation. Some of these hotels were built on the shore of Lake Baikal illegally under the guise of private residential buildings. The income from them does not go to the regional budget.

Most often, Chinese travel agencies, cooperating with Russian tour operators, control the entire process. They are selling vouchers. The vouchers have already drawn up the program of the trip, have registered service points and trade organizations that are planned to visit. According to the Associate Professor of the Department of World History and International Relations of the Irkutsk State University, Yulia Elokhina: “The choice of the Russian operator and program of the visit depends almost entirely on Chinese companies, which reduces the economic benefits for the tourism sector in the region.” ibid.

In addition, Chinese travel agencies assign Chinese guides to their tourists in Russia. Most often they are migrants from China, who are legally in Russia and know Russian. Chinese students from Irkutsk universities ideally fall under this category of migrants. Under Russian law, foreigners with a study visa cannot work on the territory of the country, therefore, they work illegally, without having a special work visa or license.

Chinese guides working without a license lead their groups to restaurants and shops controlled by Chinese business. The margin on the goods in them is about 300%, and in some cases even higher Useless guests [Bespoleznyye gosti]. Lenta. (2016). Available at: https://lenta.ru/articles/2016/11/29/china_down/ (accessed 12 May 2019).. Often, tourists are deceived by selling fake goods, for example, plastic disguised as amber. Revenue in these stores is very high, reaching 4-5 million rubles a day. These stores are opened specifically for cooperation with a particular travel agency.

The resulting income from Russian stores and restaurants is transferred to China. There are well-established shadow schemes that allow you to transfer money without delaying it in Russia. Often, payment for goods and services through WeChat (ОўРЕ) using a QR code is applied. Formally carried out the transfer of funds between two accounts in Chinese banks. As a result, not all expenses of Chinese tourists in Russia pass through Russian banks. These expenses are not taken into account by regulatory authorities and taxes are not chargedThe circulation of the yuan in Russia. Why income from Chinese tourists pass by the budget [Krugovorot yuanya v Rossii. Pochemu dokhody ot kitayskikh turistov prokhodyat mimo byudzheta]. Moscow Carnegie Center. (2018). Available at: https://carnegie.ru/commentary/75598 (accessed 12 May 2019)..

Chinese people working in the field of tourism cooperate with corrupt officials and local companies. Moreover they find workarounds in Russian legislation. Their actions are shadier than illegal.

Tourists are the first to suffer from the current situation, as they receive services of poor quality and significantly overpay for goods.

According to experts, the Russian authorities should take measures that will help eliminate the illegal schemes of the Chinese tourist industry. Now in Russia it is not forbidden to conduct business in the way the Chinese do here, and they use it. Also, the authorities should truly support the domestic tourism industry, targeted, serious financial investments and infrastructure. The issue must be approached comprehensively.

In the first paragraphs of the second chapter, the main areas of economic activity of representatives of the Chinese diaspora in the region over the past twenty years were considered.

Based on the above information, it can be concluded that Chinese migrants very quickly adapt to the changes taking place in the region. In this case, most often this does not happen as expected by the authorities. As in the case of the increase in tariffs for the export of raw wood. Instead of helping to increase the flow of investment in the domestic woodworking industry, this led to the fact that Chinese entrepreneurs began to open their own sawmills in Russia.

If earlier most of the migrants worked in the field of agriculture, now with the introduction of zero quotas and an increase in the number of foreign tourists, especially from China, they prefer tourism.

The Chinese come to earn money, they reach the goal and return home. No one plans to stay in the region for a long time. It is very difficult to get a job legally, plus the whole work is often poorly paid. Therefore, migrants give preference to alternative ways of making money, that is, they either find workarounds or work illegally.

Russian legislation allows them to work according to established schemes. Chinese migrants who have lived in the region for many years have acquired a difficult system of relations with local officials. Only the improvement of legislation will help solve this problem.

As for investment projects, after the signing of agreements, many of them remain in their infancy. On the other hand, their implementation is delayed for many years.

2.2 Influence of Chinese on Culture and Education

Chinese migrants also have an impact on such spheres of the region's life, as culture and education.

Chinese students come to the region for exchange and get the education in the best universities of the Irkutsk region.

For example, annually, the Irkutsk State University (ISU) subdivisions accept for all types of international cooperation about 200 foreign citizens arriving for participation in scientific conferences, as part of official delegations, for research purposes. About 300 foreign students are studying at the university, most of them Chinese.

There are agreements on cooperation with the following universities of the People's Republic of China: the Liaoning University, the Humanitarian Institute of the Northeast Normal University, the Heilongjiang University and concluded new ones with the following Chinese universities: Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City (2006), Capital Pedagogical University, Beijing (2007), Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Dalian (2008), signed two Memoranda of Intent with the Beijing Polytechnic Institute (2008) and the Manchurian University Institute Inner Mongolia (2009) About international activities [O mezhdunarodnoy deyatel'nosti]. Sayt Irkutskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta Available at: https://isu.ru/ru/about/history/world_activities.html (accessed 12 May 2019)..