SIR Social Sciences Investigation Abstract
THE BEAR AND THE DRAGON: A HISTORY AND ANALYSIS OF RUSSIAN-CHINESE RELATIONS
Presenter:
Eunho (Joyce) Ahn, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Advisor:
Dr. Richard Hellie, University of Chicago
Abstract:
Russia and its southern neighbor China share a long history, which stretches over eight centuries. In an odd position between being European and being Asian, Russia has grown into a country of great power, history, and tragedy. China, in a style very similar to Russia, has reflected and refracted ideas propositioned and tried by Russia. And yet each country has maintained its own unique character. The over two thousand mile long border between these two countries is a place not unused to dispute. From their first contact in 1206 to current day, Russia and China have seen both calm harmony and fierce friction. My mentorship examined these areas of contact and conflict. I sought to form a distinctive and definitive view of the past and future relations between Russia and China. As two great powers in both political and economic arenas, together Russia and China have the possibility of achieving great things. Separate and at odds, however, they could prove to be detrimental to the state of our world.