Russian cultural and historical tasks in the East in the views of S.N. Syromyatnikov

S.N. Syromyatnikov, whose views are commonly referred to as «orientalism», repeatedly dwelled on historical tasks, the «mission» of Russia in the Far East. The most important direction of Russia’s foreign policy in this region was to become «rapprochement with Asia», since by uniting with the Far Eastern countries, it could successfully resist Europe. China had to be at the center of Russia’s eastern policy, and Russia’s main task was to play the role of «patroness and cultural counselor», protecting the eastern neighbor from European countries and Japan. The attitude towards the East and the understanding of Russia’s tasks in Asia was largely determined through the rejection of everything from the West. A special task was assigned to the Russian population of the eastern borderlands, in which S.N. Syromyatnikov saw a special potential for the development of Russia and strengthening of its position in Asia. The East was perceived by S.N. Syromyatnikov as a «germ of a new Russia», to which he found a lot of evidence in the relationship between Russian and indigenous eastern peoples. Therefore, in S.N. Syromyatnikov’s point of view, to ensure the historical future of Russia it was necessary to concentrate the main efforts in the East.