清末俄国对中国茶叶市场的控制及其影响

The Control of China's Tea Market by Russia in the Late Qing Dynasty and its Effects

19世纪下半叶,在中国茶叶出口日益衰落的情况下,俄国不断加大对中国茶叶的采购量,使得中国茶叶出口还保有一定的数量和规模。但实际上,由于俄国进口的中国茶叶绝大部分由俄商在中国自行采购生产,其利润几乎为俄国人所独占,并没有给中国经济带来益处。相反,由于俄商的垄断操控,使得中国广大茶农茶商无利可图,众多商户和手工制茶作坊纷纷倒闭破产,致使中国茶叶品质不断下降,在国际市场上失去了与印锡茶叶竞争的优势,从根本上给中国茶业带来沉重打击。同时,由于俄国对中国茶叶市场及陆路茶业贸易运输的垄断控制,也使得中国官商茶在边疆地区的茶业贸易处于被动地位,加重了边疆危机。

In the late Qing dynasty,China＇s＇ tea export was on the decline while Russia increased its purchase of China＇s tea,which seemed to help maintain China＇s tea export at a certain level.In fact,because the tea exported to Russia was purchased by Russian merchants themselves,nearly all the profits went to their pockets.The Russian merchants＇ monopoly of China＇s tea export made Chinese tea producers and merchants get no profit and led to much bankruptcy and the poor quality of Chinese tea.As a result,Chinese tea was beaten in the international market by Indian tea.Besides,Russia＇s monopoly of China＇s tea market and its land transport made the borderland tea trade of the Chinese government in a passive position,which in turn intensified the borderland crises.