Chinese immigrants flood into the Russian Far East

"If we gave them half a chance, they'd all stay, like salt into water," he said.

But Russian inhabitants are dependant on the flood of cheap Chinese goods.

"I am a pensioner and this is all I can afford. We used to make our own goods in the Soviet Union but now we have to rely on them," said one shopper, Marina, 60.

Chinese has become the second most popular foreign language after English at Vladivostok's main university. as young people seek skills to guarantee them a good career. Even so, they have mixed feelings.