The topic of Russia and China’s neighboring border regions is quite fascinating … we often hear about Moscow’s concerns about its Far East, the relative lack of influence the central government has out there against the surging economy of China.  Over at Slate, Joshua Kucera has a good travelogue piece from Blagoveshchensk, which is right across the Amur river from the Chinese city of Heihe – beloved by Russians for cheap shopping and other attractions – though the matryoshka-doll trashcans were not such a hit.

The Russian Far East, the eastern edge of Siberia that borders China and the Pacific Ocean, has only 6 million people, and that number is dropping fast. Just across the border, though, the three provinces of northeastern China have about 110 million people. Meanwhile, the Russian Far East has substantial reserves of oil, natural gas, and coal, which China needs to run its supercharged economy.