ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the border cities of Blagoveshchensk (Blago) in Amur Oblast, Russia, and Heihe in Heilongjiang province, China, to explore the following. What are the characteristics of urban shrinkage in border regions and border cities? Does the border exacerbate or mitigate urban shrinkage? What additional factors might impact on urban shrinkage in a border setting? The core-periphery model and the concepts developed by the peripheralization discourse provide the analytical framework for this chapter. Adventurous traders and entrepreneurs from across the country came to exploit opportunities in Heihe, but the adverse ruble exchange rate since 2014 has led to a downturn in Russian tourism and associated trade, resulting in the departure of many immigrants. Conversely, Blago is experiencing a boom in cross-border tourism as Chinese day-trippers cross the border to shop for food and other consumer items, attracted by the low prices due to favorable currency exchange rates and the perceived high quality and safety of food items from Russia.
