Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia

Forum Takes Up "Path to a Multipolar World"

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) held its annual proceedings in Vladivostok, Russia from September 5-8, under the theme "On the Path to a Multipolar World." The four-day event was attended by more than 7,000 participants and media representatives from 67 countries and territories, in addition to host country Russia, with around 1,700 business representatives from 700 companies.

The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation, a state institution of the Russian Federation that organizes "nationwide and international conventions; exhibitions; and business, public, youth, sporting, and cultural events." The Roscongress website explains that the EEF was established by Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 19, 2015 "to support the economic development of Russia's Far East and to expand international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region."

Geographically, Russia's federal Far East district has an area of 6.953 million square kilometres, more than one-third of Russia's total area. It shares borders with Mongolia and China to the south, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Japan to the southeast, and Alaska to the northeast. It is rich in natural resources, producing 98 per cent of Russian diamonds, 80 per cent of its tin, 90 per cent of borax materials, 50 per cent of gold, 14 per cent of tungsten and 40 per cent of fish and seafood. About one-third of Russia's coal reserves and hydro-engineering resources are located there.

EEF events typically include "panel sessions, roundtables, televised debates, business breakfasts, and business dialogues devoted to Russia's relationships with various countries. The Forum business program includes a number of business dialogues with leading partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and with ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations], a key integration organization uniting dynamically developing nations in Southeast Asia."

This year's forum also had cultural and sporting events, as well as programs for youth and Indigenous peoples.

The EEF informs that this year, "The largest foreign delegations consisted of representatives from China, Myanmar, Mongolia, India, Armenia, and South Korea." It also notes that several countries took part for the first time, namely, Algeria, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, the Donetsk People's Republic, Zambia, Cameroon, Liberia and Uganda. The forum highlighted the participation of 15 "high-ranking" foreign officials, including several Prime Ministers, as well as 11 heads of diplomatic corps. More than 50 government officials attended from host country Russia.

The theme of this year's EEF is a reflection of the desire of Russia and other countries to exercise sovereignty over their own affairs, free from coercion over which countries they can and cannot maintain trade and diplomatic relations with. Russia in particular at this time is facing stepped up pressure from U.S. imperialism and its appeasers, including Canada, in the form of economic sanctions aimed at cutting off Russia from other countries.

The key event of the forum was the plenary session, with various world leaders taking part in person or by video link. President Putin, in his remarks to the plenary, focused on Russia's international relations. He noted that "Irreversible, one might even say, tectonic changes have recently taken place in the entire system of international relations. The role of dynamic, promising states and regions of the world, and above all, of course, the Asia-Pacific region, has grown significantly. Its countries have become new centres of economic and technological growth and points of attraction for human resources, capital, and industries."

Putin elaborated on what is meant by the multipolarity promoted at the EEF versus the "rules-based international order" espoused by the U.S. and its allies. He also addressed Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, its food and energy exports and the damage to European countries from sanctions aimed at Russia, among other topics.

Other world leaders consider the EEF a venue to develop international relations based on mutual respect and benefit. For example, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh underlined the significance of the forum, saying that it helps boost international cooperation, contributing to maintaining stability, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. In light of the difficulties and challenges facing the global economy and trade, Vietnam advocates building an independent and self-reliant economy and actively and substantively integrating into the international community, he stressed. He added that Vietnam attaches great importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership it has with Russia.

In addition to the plenary, some 100 sessions also took place as part of the EEF's business program, under six broad topics, called pillars:

- Russia's Place in the World -- Diamonds Are Made Under Pressure: concerning the current state and future of international relations and the development of the economy, investment, industry, and other spheres of life in Russia.

- The Global Division of Labour -- From Old Connections to New: concerning the future of individual sectors of the Russian economy and "the scale of the strategic tasks that the country faces as the new architecture of the world order emerges."

- Financial Markets: What holds Value When There Is a Loss of Confidence?: concerning the search for "effective solutions in the banking sector, the development of digital finance, the creation of anti-crisis portfolios to ensure the stability of the regional budgets of the Far East, and the balance of world currencies in the new realities."

- Creating a New Quality of Life for People: concerning education, health care, sports and culture. Speakers stated that human resources are the main capital of the Far East and that their potential must be developed. A notable part of the fourth pillar is tourism, specifically the opening up of eastern Russia to tourism, with "Vladivostok [becoming] Russia's international tourist gateway to the Asia-Pacific region."

- Everyone Has Their Own Route -- The Logistics of a Changed World: concerning the development of the Baikal-Amur Mainline and Trans-Siberian Railway, a new supply system to ensure deliveries to northern Russia, the Northern Shipping Route, and the development of airport infrastructure to ensure the air transport accessibility of the Far East and Arctic.

- Patriotism over Tolerance: speakers looked at such issues as educating Russian patriots in new schools of the future, outlined anti-crisis guidelines for training professional staff and mastering new skills for the future economy, as well as effective support for networking, leadership projects, innovations, and teacher initiatives.

Other bodies also held some of their proceedings as part of the EEF, including a meeting of Russia's Supreme Mining Council. The Arctic Council also held several sessions. Russia holds the chair of the Council (2021-2023), a body which also includes the U.S. and Canada.

Other notable discussions at the EEF covered the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian body dealing with cooperative relations between China, Russia and the Central Asian states, as well as ASEAN, on the front of politics, economics and security.

The EEF reports that this year's event saw the signing of a record number of investment agreements, as well as memorandums and agreements of intent. A total of 296 agreements were signed, worth RUB 3.272 trillion (U.S.$54 billion), including agreements on infrastructure and transport projects, the development of large mineral deposits, as well as construction, industry and agriculture.

In terms of the highest number of agreements by sector, they were:

- Socioeconomic development of regions: 80
- Education and science: 35
- Transport and logistics: 33
- Industry and construction: 29
- Investment and banking: 17
- High technologies and telecommunications: 16
- Environment and nature protection: 15
- International cooperation: 15

The EEF is yet another example that the attempts of the U.S. imperialists and their collaborators to impose their narrow and anti-human worldview and hegemonic aims on the peoples of the world, including embroiling them in war preparations and aggression directed at countries it considers its rivals, will not fly. The peoples are seeking out and creating alternatives that serve their own interests.

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This article was published in

Volume 52 Number 8 - November 2022

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2022/Articles/MS52085.HTM

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