▁by ▁that ▁time , ▁however , ▁the ▁Trans - Z ey a ▁vill agers ▁constit uted ▁only ▁a ▁minor ity ▁of ▁the ▁Chinese ▁present ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁For ▁example , ▁besides ▁the ▁Trans - Z ey a ▁vill agers , ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁statistics ▁reported ▁ 1 2 , 1 9 9 ▁Chinese ▁ot kh od nik i ▁( migr ant ▁workers ) ▁ ▁and ▁ 5 , 4 0 0 ▁Chinese ▁min ers ▁in ▁the ▁Am ur ▁O blast ▁as ▁it ▁existed ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ 4 , 0 0 8 ▁Chinese ▁urban ▁residents ▁in ▁B lag ov esh ch ensk ▁and ▁probably ▁elsewhere . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Box er ▁Reb ell ion ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁Q ing ▁forces ▁attempted ▁to ▁block ade ▁Russian ▁boat ▁traffic ▁on ▁the ▁Am ur ▁near ▁A ig un , ▁starting ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁July , ▁and ▁attacked ▁B lag ov esh ch ensk ▁along ▁with ▁Chinese ▁Hong hu zi ▁band its . ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁these ▁attacks ▁the ▁military ▁governor ▁of ▁the ▁Am ur ▁region , ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Konst antin ▁Nik ola ev ich ▁G rib sk ii , ▁ordered ▁the ▁exp ulsion ▁of ▁all ▁Q ing ▁subjects ▁who ▁remained ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁This ▁included ▁the ▁residents ▁of ▁the ▁villages , ▁and ▁Chinese ▁trad ers ▁and ▁workers ▁who ▁lived ▁in ▁B lag ov esh ch ensk ▁proper , ▁where ▁they ▁number ed ▁anywhere ▁between ▁one - six th ▁and ▁one