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What did the Treaty of Nerchinsk decide about control of the Amur River basin?
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Amur River
The Amur River basin and its drainage network.
The Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689) was a peace settlement between Russia and the Manchu Chinese empire that effectively halted Russian eastward expansion. Regarding the Amur River basin, the treaty mandated the removal of Russian outposts, thereby granting control of the region to the Chinese empire.1
Under the terms of the agreement, the border between the two nations was established along the Stanovoy Range and the Argun River. While Russia lost convenient access to the Sea of Okhotsk and regional markets, the treaty secured Russian claims to Transbaikalia and established the right for trade caravans to pass through to Beijing. This agreement remained the foundation for Russo-Chinese relations until the mid-19th century.1