The 4th Eastern Economic Forum took place in Vladivostok on 11–13 September 2018. The theme of the Forum was ‘The Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities’. “We were thinking how to make the Eastern Economic Forum better next year. Given the outcome of the EEF business programme sessions, we will define key directions for the development of the Far East, such as logistics, energy, natural resources. Moderators of the sessions will report the suggestions worked out in the EEF discussions to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. It will not only increase accountability, but also build a path from Forum discussions to state-level decisions,” Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev noted. 1. Programme The Forum’s programme consisted of over 100 business events on the most relevant topics of regional and international agenda, including panel sessions, business breakfasts, roundtables and TV debates. There were four main theme blocks: ● Tools To Support Investors: Next Steps; ● Industry Priorities In The Far East; ● The Global Far East: International Projects for Cooperation; ● Improving Living Conditions. The key event of the Forum was the plenary session ‘The Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities’ with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga, Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Nak-yon. The plenary session was moderated by Anchor, Deputy Director of Russia TV Channel, President of the Bering Bellingshausen Institute for the Americas Sergey Brilev. Vladimir Putin noted: “We are working hard to create a strong centre of international cooperation and integration, business and investment activity, education, science and culture in the dynamically growing Asia-Pacific Region. We are building this centre primarily in the interests of Russian citizens, the residents of the Far East, for their wellbeing, as well as for people to fully realize their potential.” President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping emphasized: “The Eastern Economic Forum, established by the initiative of President Putin, has already been successfully held three times and has become an important platform for consolidating brainpower and discussing key cooperation-related matters. This year the Forum is attended by an unprecedented number of guests and friends from different countries.” President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga said: “The Annual Eastern Economic Forum is becoming an important discussion platform for outlining further ways of cooperation for the APR countries. Each year the level of participants is rising, and the Forum is expanding.” Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe: “Russian–Japanese relations are now going through a breakthrough period with unprecedented acceleration. The plan of bilateral cooperation that we discussed with President Putin includes over 150 projects. Over a half of them are already being implemented or are approaching this stage.” Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Nak-yeon said: “Leaders of the Northeast Asian states have gathered at this platform to consolidate efforts and ideas for the development of the Far East and ensure peace and well-being for the region. This is crucial.” Reference information: The Forum’s programme included the following events: ● 5 business dialogues (Russia–ASEAN, Russia–Europe, Russia–China, Russia–Republic of Korea, Russia–Japan); ● ‘Joint Meeting of Russia–Korea and Korea–Russia Business and Investment Councils’ business breakfast; ● ‘An Investment Breakthrough for the Regions of the Far Eastern Federal District: What Next?’ business breakfast; ● Roundtable for Russian and Chinese Regional Leaders; ● Intergovernmental Russian–Chinese Commission; ● International APEC Conference on Cooperation in Higher Education; ● Valdai Club Session; ● TV Debates of Russia 24 and the Valdai Discussion Club; ● Sberbank plenary session ‘Education in Transitional World: New Priorities’; ● Presentation of the Digital Economy School; ● Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) Pre-Dispute Strategy Seminar; ● Presentation of investment projects and investment attractiveness of the Far East, including: - presentation of the Digital platform for investors and exporters of the Far East; - Interactive session of the Russian Export Centre ‘The export industries of the Far East’; - presentation of 28 investment projects worth 1,162,933,000 roubles. ● Educational platform of the Forum, including: - Youth Platform Lecture Course Programme featured famous Russian and foreign speakers talking about the development of digital economy, educational system and energy cooperation. Among the speakers were Chairman of the Management Board, SIBUR Holding, Dmitry Konov; Chairman of the Executive Board, ROSNANO Managing Company Ltd, Anatoly Chubais; Secretary General, China Overseas Development Association, He Zhenwei; Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Song Young-gil; Professor Emeritus, Incheon National University, Chung Rae Kwon, etc; - Island 10-21 intensive course programme; ● Grand opening and 10 social sessions of the NPO LAB: Social Impact Lounge; ● Opening of the innovation carousel of the Territory of Innovations project. 2. Participants The Forum was attended by 6,002 delegates and 1,357 media representatives from 60 foreign countries. The most numerous delegations (officials and businessmen) came from the People’s Republic of China (1,096 people), Japan (570 people), the Republic of Korea (335 people), as well as Mongolia, the USA and the UK. North Korea was represented by 12 people. Among high-ranking foreign politicians were President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Nak-yeon, Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe. Over 340 heads of foreign businesses took part in the Forum. For the first time it was attended by the leaders of two largest Chinese oil companies that are numbers 3 and 4 in the Fortune Global 500 international rating respectively: President of SINOPEC (China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation) Dai Houliang and President of China National Petroleum Corporation Wang Yilin. ● Chen Lip Keong, Founder, Controlling Shareholder and Chief Executive, Officer NagaCorp Ltd; ● Yinbiao Shu, Chairman, State Grid Corporation of China; ● Lyu Jun, Chairman, COFCO Corporation; ● Liu Qitao, Executive Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors, China Communications Construction Company Limited; ● René Berkvens, Chief Executive Officer, Damen Shipyards Group NV; ● Kag-Gyu Hwang, CEO & Vice Chairman, Lotte Corporation;<doc-sep>Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) takes part in a meeting with foreign businessmen during the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on September 11, 2018. (AFP PHOTO) VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- World leaders and business tycoons gathered in Russia's Far Eastern port city of Vladivostok to discuss cooperation at the fourth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) that opened Tuesday. The three-day forum under the theme of "The Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities" has attracted thousands of attendees from more than 60 countries. The participants will share their ideas around topics of international cooperation in Far Eastern development, industry priorities in the Far East, tools to support investors and measures to improve living conditions. There will be also cultural, sports and educational programs during the forum. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the EEF this year at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It will be the first time for the Chinese head of state to participate in the event. Founded by Putin in 2015, the annual EEF has served as an important venue for face-to-face dialogue among politicians, business executives and experts for Far Eastern development and regional cooperation.<doc-sep>TASS, Vladivostok. Participants of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok signed 175 agreements for a total of 2.9 trillion rubles ($42.07 bln), Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev told reporters on Thursday. "As of 9:00 (local time), 175 agreements were signed for of 2.9 trillion rubles ($42.07 bln). If we recall the figures of the previous forums, at the first forum the figure reached 1.3 trillion rubles ($18.86 bln), the second - 1.8 trillion rubles ($26.11 bln), the third - 2.5 trillion rubles ($36.27 bln)," he said. According to him, agreements on establishing mining and industrial enterprise based on the Baimsky ore area in Chukotka, Asian investment fund GenFund investing in the Far Eastern projects of the Russian agroholding Rusagro and the Nakhodka fertilizer plant, deliveries of 100 SSJ-100 aircraft to Aeroflot, construction of a terminal for Novatek LNG transshipment at Bechevinskaya Bay in Kamchatka were among the most important at the Forum. More than 6,000 delegates visited the Fourth Eastern Economic Forum with 100 business events, Trutnev told. "Within the framework of the forum, 100 business events were held with four main thematic sections: investor support tools, sectoral priorities of the Far East, global Far East - international cooperation projects, and creating conditions for human lives … 6,002 delegates and 1,300 representatives of mass media participated in the conference," he said. The fourth Eastern Economic Forum is taking place from 11 to 13 September in Vladivostok.<doc-sep>Russian President Vladimir Putin opened Russia’s fourth annual Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Growing trade ties with Beijing was the president’s main message as he welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. President Putin pointed to the growing economic ties between the two countries. Russia continues to look to China as its main trade partner as Moscow looks to expand its trade in Asia. “Trade (between Russia and China) reached $87 billion last year,” Putin said. “We will probably reach $100 billion this year.” While EU remains Moscow’s main trading partner, China’s growing trade with Russia is rapidly closing the gap – Kremlinhttps://t.co/xbGvshcp4ppic.twitter.com/IrSa1oMbEd — RT (@RT_com) September 3, 2018 The Chinese president said Moscow and Beijing are constantly in contact, stressing that China wants to continue working closely with Moscow. "You just noted that the Chinese delegation is the largest at the forum, which shows the great attractiveness of this meeting [Eastern Economic Forum – Ed.]. And on the other hand, it means comprehensive cooperation between China and Russia in the development of the Far East,” said Xi. ‘Polar Silk Road’: China unveils huge plans for Arctic shipping routes https://t.co/8P8lR9r0SApic.twitter.com/5K6X412gtP — RT (@RT_com) January 26, 2018 The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is a high-profile annual platform for showcasing the results of the economic development of the Russian Far East. The EEF is taking place September 11-13 in Vladivostok. The theme of this year’s event – The Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities – reflects aspirations to see Russia more closely integrated into the economic network of the Asia-Pacific region. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section<doc-sep>
VLADIVOSTOK, September 11. /TASS/. The 4th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), which kicks off in Vladivostok on Tuesday, promises to become the most representative one in comparison with the previous events in terms of the line ups and level of delegations. The forum will be held on September 11-13. The forum’s key event, a plenary session "The Far East: Expanding the Range of Possibilities," will be attended by the heads of five states and governments: Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, China’s President Xi Jinping, President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga, Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister of South Korea Lee Nak-yeon. The participants will touch upon the plans to speed up the socio-economic development of the Far East, ways to attract Russian and foreign investors to the region. The international agenda in particular includes the discussion of security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Key topics Earlier, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that at the plenary session Putin will declare the inadmissibility of using politically motivated sanctions in world trade and stress the importance of observing the principles of free trade in compliance with the norms of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Russia leader will touch upon large-scale plans to accelerate the socio-economic development of the Far East and encourage foreign investors to work more intensively with the Russian companies in that region. Putin will also speak about strengthening security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. On the sidelines of the forum, the Russian President is to meet with representatives of foreign businesses. That meeting will be attended by the heads of such large companies and financial institutions as Daewoo, Lotte, Mazda and Mitsui, the Chinese National Oil and Gas Corporation, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and others. Business program The program includes about 70 business events (panel sessions, business dialogues, business breakfasts and round tables). The forum expects about 6,000 participants from more than 60 countries. More than half of participants are from Russia. The largest foreign delegations are from China, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia. The forum will also receive delegations from other countries of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as representatives of the United States, India, the UK and France. Also 346 Russian and 352 foreign top managers are to attend the EEF. In particular, for the first time the forum welcomes heads of the two largest oil companies of China, which rank 3rd and 4th in the international rating of the Fortune Global 500 - Chairman of Sinopec (Chinese oil and chemical corporation) Dai Houliang, as well as the president of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Wang Yilin. "Over three years, the Eastern Economic Forum has turned into an effective international communication platform. The EEF events are attended by the leaders of the states and governments of the Asia-Pacific region, the leaders of the leading international companies of Russia and other countries. Their participation ensures high results of the discussions within the EEF," Adviser to the Russian President Anton Kobyakov said. Earlier the press service of Russia's Roscongress Foundation, the organizer of the forum, announced that the discussions of the business program will focus on four key areas. The section ‘Tools to Support Investors: Next Steps’ will focus on the results and potential of such mechanisms for developing areas such as advanced special economic zones and the Free Port of Vladivostok. The discussion is expected to focus on the issues of protecting investors’ rights, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and high-tech projects, opportunities for creating the first Russian offshore zone in the Far East and the breakthrough of the Far Eastern Federal District in the national ranking of investment attractiveness. The section ‘Industry Priorities in the Far East’ will touch upon the topics of supporting industries that are expected to drive the region’s economic growth in the near future. Particularly, individual sessions will cover the timber industry, agriculture, fishing industry, oil and gas industry, tourism and port infrastructure, mining and refining of solid minerals, and efforts to improve legislation related to mineral exploration. The section ‘The Global Far East: International Cooperation Projects’ will focus on prospects for economic cooperation between Russia’s Far East and neighboring countries, the importance of developing transport corridors in Russia’s Far East for the Asian Pacific region, and the creation of an International Medical Cluster in Vladivostok. The section ‘Improving Living Conditions’ will highlight the issues of demography, healthcare, education and science, housing, culture, and urban development in the Russian Far East.