<P> The Russians observed the Chinese building up their arsenal of modern weapons during the Ili crisis, the Chinese bought thousands of rifles from Germany . In 1880 massive amounts of military equipment and rifles were shipped via boats to China from Antwerp as China purchased torpedoes, artillery, and 260,260 modern rifles from Europe . </P> <P> The Russian military observer D.V. Putiatia visited China in 1888 and found that in Northeastern China (Manchuria) along the Chinese - Russian border, the Chinese soldiers were potentially able to become adept at "European tactics" under certain circumstances, and the Chinese soldiers were armed with modern weapons like Krupp artillery, Winchester carbines, and Mauser rifles . </P> <P> Compared to Russian controlled areas, more benefits were given to the Muslim Kirghiz on the Chinese controlled areas . Russian settlers fought against the Muslim nomadic Kirghiz, which led the Russians to believe that the Kirghiz would be a liability in any conflict against China . The Muslim Kirghiz were sure that in an upcoming war, that China would defeat Russia . </P> <P> Russian sinologists, the Russian media, threat of internal rebellion, the pariah status inflicted by the Congress of Berlin, the negative state of the Russian economy all led Russia to concede and negotiate with China in St Petersburg, and return most of Ili to China . </P>

Causes and effects of imperialism in southeast asia and the pacific