Yes, an economic driver for a larger population. They will have to act to anticipate a huge migration of Asian people into the area with their low birth rate being unable to avoid their own inexorable loss of people to their below replacement birth rate.
The wiki on Demographics of Russia tells all. How will they block a Chinese walk-over?
Isn't China's population supposed to peak in 2023? Then what?
Yes, the forced family limitations of the one-child-policy are coming home to roost. Then they will face the decline of the younger age group. What next? Forced impregnation?