Russian-Chinese Treaty of Kyakhta signed

1 November 1727

On October 21 (November 1), 1727 in a trade outpost Kyakhta (today it is the center of Kyakhta region of Buryatia Republic) the Russian ambassador S.L. Vladislavovitch-Raguzinsky and the authorized representatives of the Chinese state Tchabina, Tegut and Tulishen concluded the agreement on setting the borders between Russia and China. This treaty had fixed the Russian-Chinese border defined by Burinsky agreement of 1727.

Burinsky agreement as a part of the Treaty of Kyakhta regulated only the issue of the Russian-Chinese border that had been defined as follows: along the river of Kyakhta from the Russian side and the mountain of Orogoita from the Chinese side. In order for this agreement to come into effect, a geodetic survey of the regions of the Southern Siberia difficult of access had been conducted. Also there was drawn a map of the entire new Russian-Chinese border.

The Treaty of Kyakhta between Russia and China was a result of three years negotiations held in Beijing. The treaty stipulated the right for regular Russian trade caravans’ expeditions to Beijing, specified the terms of trade between Russia and China including the right to conduct a tax-free barter near Nerchinsk and in Kyakhta. The constant stay of the Russian spiritual legation in Beijing was legalized.

The Treaty of Kyakhta of 1727 had settled the pending problems between Russia and Qing Empire, contributed to a long stabilization of political situation on the Far East and provided a legal foundation for Russian-Chinese relations up to the middle of 19th century.

Lit.: Кяхтинский трактат 1727 г. // Беспрозванных Е. Л. Приамурье в системе русско-китайских отношений, XVII — середина XIX в. Хабаровск, 1986; Русско-китайские договорно-правовые акты, 1689-1916 гг. М., 2004.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Bantysh-Kamensky N. N. Diplomatic collection of cases between the Russian and Chinese states from 1619 to 1792. Kazan, 1882;

Trusevich C. I. Posolskie and trade relations of Russia with China (until the XIX century). Moscow, 1882.