In the late Qing dynasty, the Great Powers, Britain and Russia, left behind significant territorial disputes along China's western borders. The two empires nearly clashed over the Pamir Plateau, with Britain expanding north from British India and Russia pushing south from Central Asia. After tense negotiations, the two sides agreed on the 1895 Anglo-Russian Pamir Agreement, dividing spheres of influence and creating a buffer zone.
However, this agreement left China at a disadvantage. The Pamir Plateau, which was part of Chinese territory, was seized by Russia, and the buffer zone, the Wakhan Corridor, was also within China's borders. The Wakhan Corridor, about 400 km long and ranging from 15 to 75 km wide, became a contested area when Russia expanded further westward into the region.
The situation worsened as both Russia and Britain carved up Chinese land for their own strategic interests. In 1963, after the collapse of both the British Empire and the Russian Empire, China and Afghanistan signed a border agreement to officially divide the Wakhan Corridor, leaving China with less than 100 km of the region. While Afghanistan gained more territory, China's strategic concerns over the region grew, especially as tensions with the Soviet Union escalated.
Following the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991, Tajikistan, which inherited the disputed land, became an independent state. However, the issue of the 20,000 square kilometers of land illegally seized by Russia and later controlled by Tajikistan remains unresolved, as it could lead to further territorial disputes.
The Pamir Plateau, rich in valuable resources like gold and uranium, remains a vital geopolitical and economic frontier. Its future, and the possibility of China reclaiming its lost territories, still depends on shifting political dynamics.
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