Treaty of Kuldja

Treaty of Kuldja, (1851), treaty between China and Russia to regulate trade between the two countries. The treaty was preceded by a gradual Russian advance throughout the 18th century into Kazakhstan.

Encouraged by the success of Britain, France, and other Western powers in extracting concessions from China in the wake of the trading conflict known as the first Opium War (1839–42), Russia began to send merchants into Chinese Central Asia in the mid-19th century. The resulting Treaty of Kuldja gave the Russians their first major foothold in the area.

Similar to other previous agreements between Russia and China, the treaty was negotiated on general terms of equality and reciprocity. It granted the Russians trading rights in the area, specifying the trade routes, the times of year trade was allowed, warehousing facilities, and place and number of official residences. It also established that the Russians were not subject to Chinese law while in the territory but could be under the control of their own consul at Chuguchak (modern Tacheng) and Kuldja, the city where the treaty was signed and the major city of the territory. The treaty was followed by an accelerated Russian expansion into Central Asia.