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Resource Development and the Governance of Fengtian Warlords in Manchuria in the 1920s

  • Journal of Manchurian Studies
  • Abbr : 만주연구
  • 2023, (36), pp.83~119
  • DOI : 10.22888/mcsa..36.202310.83
  • Publisher : The Manchurian Studies Association
  • Research Area : Social Science > Area Studies > East Asia > China
  • Received : July 8, 2023
  • Accepted : October 27, 2023
  • Published : October 31, 2023

Song In Ju 1

1서강대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the relationship between the resource development strategies of Fengtian warlords(奉天軍閥) and the rulers of Manchuria in the 1920s. Amidst an epoch marked by heightened competition between the Qing dynasty, Russia, and Japan, the fervor surrounding the the coveted mining and forests assets in the Manchuria grew. Crafting an autonomous stronghold during Russia and Japan’s military campaigns into Manchuria, the Fengtian warlords strategically maneuvered to optimize the exploitation of the country’s rich mines and lush forests, amplifying their dominion over resources within the region. Even despite the constraints of Russian and Japanese influences in the country, the warlords exhibited remarkable resilience, adopting a pro-China collaborative approach that championed Chinese interests, notable in projects such as the Benxihu Coal Mine project (本溪 湖炭鑛/煤鑛). Such thoughtfully calibrated strategies culminated in the acquisition of control over the Yalu and Sunghua River basins and forests, cultivating in the 1928 Forest Ordinance (森林條例). In essence, the Fengtian warlords’ concerted efforts were instrumental catalyzing the emergence of contemporary Manchurian communities and industrial cities, exemplified in areas like the Benxihu (本溪湖) Lake and Heilongjiang’s Hegang (鶴崗). The Fengtian warlords thus emerged as quintessential architects in the transformative evolution of modern Manchuria.

Citation status

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