Russia fears China is paving the way for a future annexation of parts of its Far East, including the strategically crucial port city of Vladivostok, according to an explosive leaked document from the Federal Security Service (FSB). The eight-page memo reveals a sharp contrast between the Kremlin’s public alliance with Beijing and its internal anxiety over Chinese territorial ambitions.
The document claims President Vladimir Putin’s security services believe China is “trying to encroach” on Russian territory under the guise of deepening bilateral ties. The FSB report, believed to have been written in late 2023 or early 2024, was produced by a previously unknown intelligence unit and refers to China as “the enemy”. It details concerns that Chinese intelligence is attempting to infiltrate Russia’s military and strategic infrastructure—raising alarms over espionage, Arctic ambitions, and long-standing territorial disputes.
According to the New York Times, the leaked file provides “the most detailed behind-the-scenes view to date of Russian counterintelligence’s thinking about China” and outlines what it calls a “tense and dynamically developing” covert battle between the two supposed allies. This friction comes despite the much-publicised “no-limits partnership” declared by Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2022.
The report highlights ongoing resentment over 19th-century border treaties, particularly the 1860 Treaty of Peking, which handed Russia control of the region now known as Vladivostok.
Chinese nationalists have continued to reject the legitimacy of those deals, and the FSB believes Beijing may be stoking historical grievances to shape public opinion and justify future claims.
In 2023, China’s Ministry of Natural Resources instructed that new official maps refer to Vladivostok and seven other cities by their Chinese names—an act seen in Moscow as part of a creeping soft power campaign.
The memo also points to Chinese researchers probing evidence of “ancient Chinese peoples” in the Russian Far East to support Beijing’s territorial push.
Additionally, the FSB alleges China is aggressively recruiting Russian nationals, especially those with ties to Chinese citizens or studying in China. The document also accuses Chinese intelligence of seeking insights into Western military technology by tracking Russia’s operations in Ukraine.
Former CIA operations officer Paul Kolbe said: “You don’t have to scratch very deep in any Russian military or intel official to get deep suspicion of China. In the long run, China is a potential threat.”
Despite the distrust, both sides continue to maintain a public front of unity. Last month, Putin and Xi signed a joint statement pledging to “further deepen” cooperation, masking the growing unease behind closed doors.
