Russia and China begin visa-free travel, raising concerns about Chinese expansion in Siberia

Russia and China have launched a visa-free regime for their citizens, a move presented as facilitating tourism and economic cooperation. Analysts warn this could enable a gradual Chinese migration into Russia's eastern regions, potentially creating economically dominated enclaves and impacting local populations. The visa-free policy is part of a deepening Russia-China alliance, with concerns raised about Russia's demographic crisis and the growing influence of China in its sparsely populated territories.