Report: Toward the Great Ocean, or the New Globalization of Russia
Toward the Great Ocean, or the New Globalization of Russia_ENG
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The report, written by a group of the leading experts is aimed at evaluating Russia’s goals and opportunities in the dynamic Asian Pacific region. The authors of the report stress the importance of Russia's turn towards Asia, examine current political and economic situation in Siberia and the Russian Far East and test the chances of Russia’s economy “to catch the Chinese wind in its sails.”

The experts set a goal of reshaping of the Russian geopolitical discourse and changing the Eurocentric model of Russia’s foreign and economic policy to a more balanced approach that will include Asia and Asian issues. They argue that the rise of China and growing importance of the Asian Pacific region can harbor serious challenges to national interests if Russia do not adjust its vector of development. As the report puts it, opening up to the “emerging Asia” via the Trans-Urals regions, the use of competitive advantages stemming from Asia’s growth, the strengthening of foreign investment attractiveness and creation of the incentives for gifted and enterprising individuals are essential elements that are to be implemented in Russia’s domestic and foreign policy.

Offering an innovative approach to recovery of the Russia’s Eastern regions and strengthening of their role in national and international context, the Valdai Club experts suggest a strategy, which among other key points proposes to split the powers and responsibilities of the national capital between Moscow and a city or cities in Siberia and the Far East. They stress that a new major all-encompassing socio-economic project named the New Globalization of Russia is a must for restarting Russia’s economic power and reestablishing its influence in the world.

The authors of the report are Prof. Sergei Karaganov, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University – Higher School of Economics, Chairman of the Presidium of the Council for Foreign and Defense Policy, Chairman of the Valdai Discussion Club and Member of the Club’s Advisory Board; Oleg Barabanov, Head, of the Department of EU Politics at the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO), Professor, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University – Higher School of Economics and Timofei Bordachev, Deputy Dean for Strategic Planning, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University – Higher School of Economics; Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies (CCEIS) at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs and Director of Studies of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.

The research is based on the findings of the works by the Higher School of Economics and the Valdai Club Asian section conferences of 2010-2011.

The report was presented in Moscow on July, 5 by its authors. The expert discussion of the report is to be held by the leading Russian and Asian experts on the regional and international issues at the fifth conference of the Valdai Club Asia section on July, 7-8 in Moscow.