The Emergence of Modern Northeast China’s Export Trade and the Contributions of the Jewish Kabalkin Family

Abstract

In the late 19^th century, against the backdrop of colonization and competition from Japan, Russia, and Western powers, some towns in Northeast China, including Harbin, became areas open to foreign influence. Over approximately a quarter of a century, Harbin rapidly transformed from a remote fishing village into an emerging international financial center in East Asia. Harbin became a new arena for commercial competition among the great powers. The construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway marked a turning point in the history of Jews coming to China. Subsequently, five Jewish communities were formed along the railway. During this developmental process, Jews played a pioneering and exemplary role in the formation of the financial capital system, the establishment of the transportation system, the construction of the import-export trade system, and the development of modern enterprises in Harbin and Northeast China. This further connected the regional economic market of Northeast China directly with global economies such as Europe, promoting the commercialization of agricultural products in Northeast China and driving the prosperity and development of the regional economic market. Studying this historical period is not only beneficial for the revitalization of Northeast China’s old industrial base but also has significant practical implications for the construction of the Northeast China Land and Maritime Silk Road Economic Belt and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.