Valdai Discussion Club pinned «UPD: The livestream is over. The video of the discussion is available via the same link. Stay tuned! 🎥 LIVE: at 4:30 pm, Moscow Time (GMT+3) we are starting an expert discussion, titled “Half a year in a new reality: How has the world changed since February…»
📷 On August 25, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion, titled “Half a year in a new reality: How has the world changed since February 24?”
Photo gallery of the discussion is available on VK.
The video of the discussion is available via this link.
Stay tuned!
@valdai_club
Photo gallery of the discussion is available on VK.
The video of the discussion is available via this link.
Stay tuned!
@valdai_club
🌐 Six Months in a New Reality: The World Is at a Dangerous Crossroads
On August 25th, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion, titled “Half a year in a new reality: How has the world changed since February 24th?”
Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for the Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club, moderated the event.
💬 Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, stressed that Russia's "European choice" was a matter of the past. “It will never be like it was six months ago,” he added, explaining that Russia, of course, has not abandoned those universal values that are commonly called European ones, but the former “fixation” on relations with the West will no longer exist. Analysing the current situation, Kosachev identified three trends. First, with the departure of Western players from the Russian market, Russia received a second chance after 1991 for independent development. Second, the myth about the unipolar model being beneficial for all countries of the world collapsed. Third, the idea of multi-polarity has been revived.
💬 Dimitri Simes, President of Washington’s Center for the National Interest, noted that the world is now at a dangerous crossroads, reminiscent of the times of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Sixty years ago, the parties were able to move beyond this crossroads because, despite all their differences, they demonstrated responsibility and political restraint. However, in our time, "healthy forces" are not in power, and Western elites generally do not make a good impression, which significantly increases the risks. However, according to Simes, there is still hope for constructive diplomacy and for the the American administration to demonstrate pragmatism, which can push it to try to resume its dialogue with Moscow following the midterm elections.
💬 Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), pointed out that the start of the military operation in Ukraine was a milestone, but in general, the transition is of a fundamental nature; it was reflected in a number of regional conflicts, the coronavirus pandemic, and energy resource price volatility. He believes that another important factor is the ongoing attempt to consolidate the West, caused not only by the challenges associated with Russia, but also by the Chinese challenge, the activity of the Global South, and the pressure of global development problems. In fact, he argued, we are talking about an attempt to slow down the movement towards multi-polarity and restore the order that existed at the end of the last century and the beginning of this one - with the world centre, the world periphery and large semi-peripheral countries. However, this model does not look sustainable, and the period of consolidation is likely to be short-lived. “We are moving towards a system where multilateralism will have better prospects than the attempts at unilateral domination that we are seeing today,” Kortunov said.
💬 Nelson Wong, Vice Chairman and Executive Director at the Shanghai Centre for RimPac Strategic and International Studies, also acknowledged that the situation is dangerous, noting that the conflict in Ukraine is turning into a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO - or the collective West. He sees no prospects for a consensus being reached between the main players in the near future. At the same time, according to Wong, Russia can emerge from the conflict with losses, but is unlikely to be defeated - at least it is currently fulfilling its goals and objectives. He expressed hope that the world order would eventually become more democratic and balanced, and that Russia's actions would be the beginning of a global awakening that would end American hegemony.
@valdai_club
On August 25th, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion, titled “Half a year in a new reality: How has the world changed since February 24th?”
Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for the Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club, moderated the event.
💬 Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, stressed that Russia's "European choice" was a matter of the past. “It will never be like it was six months ago,” he added, explaining that Russia, of course, has not abandoned those universal values that are commonly called European ones, but the former “fixation” on relations with the West will no longer exist. Analysing the current situation, Kosachev identified three trends. First, with the departure of Western players from the Russian market, Russia received a second chance after 1991 for independent development. Second, the myth about the unipolar model being beneficial for all countries of the world collapsed. Third, the idea of multi-polarity has been revived.
💬 Dimitri Simes, President of Washington’s Center for the National Interest, noted that the world is now at a dangerous crossroads, reminiscent of the times of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Sixty years ago, the parties were able to move beyond this crossroads because, despite all their differences, they demonstrated responsibility and political restraint. However, in our time, "healthy forces" are not in power, and Western elites generally do not make a good impression, which significantly increases the risks. However, according to Simes, there is still hope for constructive diplomacy and for the the American administration to demonstrate pragmatism, which can push it to try to resume its dialogue with Moscow following the midterm elections.
💬 Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), pointed out that the start of the military operation in Ukraine was a milestone, but in general, the transition is of a fundamental nature; it was reflected in a number of regional conflicts, the coronavirus pandemic, and energy resource price volatility. He believes that another important factor is the ongoing attempt to consolidate the West, caused not only by the challenges associated with Russia, but also by the Chinese challenge, the activity of the Global South, and the pressure of global development problems. In fact, he argued, we are talking about an attempt to slow down the movement towards multi-polarity and restore the order that existed at the end of the last century and the beginning of this one - with the world centre, the world periphery and large semi-peripheral countries. However, this model does not look sustainable, and the period of consolidation is likely to be short-lived. “We are moving towards a system where multilateralism will have better prospects than the attempts at unilateral domination that we are seeing today,” Kortunov said.
💬 Nelson Wong, Vice Chairman and Executive Director at the Shanghai Centre for RimPac Strategic and International Studies, also acknowledged that the situation is dangerous, noting that the conflict in Ukraine is turning into a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO - or the collective West. He sees no prospects for a consensus being reached between the main players in the near future. At the same time, according to Wong, Russia can emerge from the conflict with losses, but is unlikely to be defeated - at least it is currently fulfilling its goals and objectives. He expressed hope that the world order would eventually become more democratic and balanced, and that Russia's actions would be the beginning of a global awakening that would end American hegemony.
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Six Months in a New Reality: The World Is at a Dangerous Crossroads
On August 25th, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion, titled “Half a year in a new reality: How has the world changed since February 24th?” Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for the Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion…
🌎🌏 How can all peace-seeking forces achieve a breakthrough from Asia, given the current confrontational situation in Europe?
Valdai Club expert Feng Shaolei draws our attention to some deep trends in the current changing environment:
1️⃣ First, for many years, there was a popular belief that the United States is not capable of fighting two wars at the same time - with Moscow and with Beijing. However, it seems that Washington will not give up its attempt to weaken Russia through support for Ukraine, and views China as its main rival.
As the the US continues to shift its focus to the Indo-Pacific region and strengthen its alliances in the region, Asia will move further in the direction of "Europeanisation."
2️⃣ Second, with the approach of the US midterm elections, inflationary pressure there is increasing, and the results of opinion polls for John Biden remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, on the one hand, the United States continues to exert military pressure on Russia, hoping to break the resistance of its long-term strategic adversary. On the other hand, over the past two months, Washington has repeatedly signalled that it is not seeking victory, but a final solution to the Ukraine problem through peaceful negotiations.
3️⃣ Third, in parallel with the promotion of its special military operation, Russia is using energy and financial instruments to effectively counter the West; the entire state apparatus is functioning normally. The reality is that not only hasn’t Russia been defeated, on the contrary, it will continue to influence the development of regional and international processes as a great power.
It is necessary to consider how to create an Asian regional structure step-by-step in order to avoid a repetition of the tragedy of Europe in Asia, the expert writes.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #geopolitics #worldorder
@valdai_club
Valdai Club expert Feng Shaolei draws our attention to some deep trends in the current changing environment:
1️⃣ First, for many years, there was a popular belief that the United States is not capable of fighting two wars at the same time - with Moscow and with Beijing. However, it seems that Washington will not give up its attempt to weaken Russia through support for Ukraine, and views China as its main rival.
As the the US continues to shift its focus to the Indo-Pacific region and strengthen its alliances in the region, Asia will move further in the direction of "Europeanisation."
2️⃣ Second, with the approach of the US midterm elections, inflationary pressure there is increasing, and the results of opinion polls for John Biden remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, on the one hand, the United States continues to exert military pressure on Russia, hoping to break the resistance of its long-term strategic adversary. On the other hand, over the past two months, Washington has repeatedly signalled that it is not seeking victory, but a final solution to the Ukraine problem through peaceful negotiations.
3️⃣ Third, in parallel with the promotion of its special military operation, Russia is using energy and financial instruments to effectively counter the West; the entire state apparatus is functioning normally. The reality is that not only hasn’t Russia been defeated, on the contrary, it will continue to influence the development of regional and international processes as a great power.
It is necessary to consider how to create an Asian regional structure step-by-step in order to avoid a repetition of the tragedy of Europe in Asia, the expert writes.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #geopolitics #worldorder
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Confrontation in Europe and a Breakthrough from Asia
How can all peace-seeking forces achieve a breakthrough from Asia, given the current confrontational situation in Europe? How, in this context, should China and Russia expand the geography of their cooperation through bilateral partnership in order to maximise…
⚖️🌎 We see the double-character of nearly all so-called Western values and ideologies.
They were born in the West, because the West dominated the world for five centuries. They are claimed by the West, but they are more often betrayed by it. There is a trap in classifying the values themselves as Western or Eastern too readily.
By using democratic slogans to justify imperialist interventions, the West has done enormous damage to the ideas of democracy and human freedom and rights.
The basic justification of every policy of the West is the ideology of ecumenism the West is projecting, full of complacency and arrogance. However, it is a false ecumenism, as it corresponds only to the narrow interests of the Western ruling classes, not the interests of humanity, writes Valdai Club expert Dimitris Konstantakopoulos.
📌 This article was written as a follow-up to the author’s presentation at the expert discussion “The Global Ideological and Spiritual Landscape and Russia’s Place on the New Values Map of the World”.
#Norms_and_Values #ecumenism #West
@valdai_club
They were born in the West, because the West dominated the world for five centuries. They are claimed by the West, but they are more often betrayed by it. There is a trap in classifying the values themselves as Western or Eastern too readily.
By using democratic slogans to justify imperialist interventions, the West has done enormous damage to the ideas of democracy and human freedom and rights.
The basic justification of every policy of the West is the ideology of ecumenism the West is projecting, full of complacency and arrogance. However, it is a false ecumenism, as it corresponds only to the narrow interests of the Western ruling classes, not the interests of humanity, writes Valdai Club expert Dimitris Konstantakopoulos.
📌 This article was written as a follow-up to the author’s presentation at the expert discussion “The Global Ideological and Spiritual Landscape and Russia’s Place on the New Values Map of the World”.
#Norms_and_Values #ecumenism #West
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Double Meaning of Global Values
The basic justification of every policy of the West is the ideology of ecumenism the West is projecting, full of complacency and arrogance. However, it is a false ecumenism, as it corresponds only to the narrow interests of the Western ruling classes, not…
🇰🇵 The recent launches have clearly demonstrated that the DPRK has finally become a nuclear power.
North Korea is becoming or has already become the third country in the world — after Russia and China — that is capable of delivering a nuclear strike on US territory.
On the Korean peninsula today there is a real deadlock situation. However, it will not come to a direct military conflict. None of the participants in the current confrontation is interested in a military conflict.
North Korea will not start a military conflict, because it knows that in this case it will be subjected to a nuclear strike by the United States, which is bound by allied obligations with South Korea. But the United States will not start a conflict either, writes Valdai Club expert Gleb Ivashentsov.
#ModernDiplomacy #DPRK
@valdai_club
North Korea is becoming or has already become the third country in the world — after Russia and China — that is capable of delivering a nuclear strike on US territory.
On the Korean peninsula today there is a real deadlock situation. However, it will not come to a direct military conflict. None of the participants in the current confrontation is interested in a military conflict.
North Korea will not start a military conflict, because it knows that in this case it will be subjected to a nuclear strike by the United States, which is bound by allied obligations with South Korea. But the United States will not start a conflict either, writes Valdai Club expert Gleb Ivashentsov.
#ModernDiplomacy #DPRK
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Illusory Stability: Is It Possible to Escalate the Crisis on the Korean Peninsula?
The belligerent statements that the United States, North Korea and South Korea have been making about each other over the past few weeks, and the steps they have taken to mobilise their existing arsenals, suggest that a sharp escalation of tension may occur…
🔎⚔️🗞 Most analysts in the West have developed a special kind of moral blindness, which is rooted in the feeling of being chosen; the ideological, moral superiority of the Western model of development.
They believe that they are advancing at a high speed along the path of progress, that there is a right side of history, and that the movement along it justifies the means by which this progress is achieved. They value civilian deaths quite differently depending on which side they represent. This is a special type of hypocrisy — to divide people into those who are on the right side of history and who are on the wrong side of history.
At the initial stage of the current phase of the crisis in the West, analysts began to play the role of activists and rhetorically exclaim: “how is that?”, “no war”, and “we are for peace.” For them, there is only one participant in the conflict worthy of support — Ukraine, which is on the right side of history. Accordingly, its missile attacks on Donbass and Russian territory are righteous. There was not a single sympathetic statement in the West regarding the murder of pro-Russian citizens in Odessa on May 2, 2014.
The tacit acceptance of a consistent defeat of the rights of Russians in Ukraine is completely unacceptable for Russia, and Western experts will not find understanding in Moscow until they stop looking at the problem selectively, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Andrey Sushentsov.
#ModernDiplomacy #Ukraine #West
@valdai_club
They believe that they are advancing at a high speed along the path of progress, that there is a right side of history, and that the movement along it justifies the means by which this progress is achieved. They value civilian deaths quite differently depending on which side they represent. This is a special type of hypocrisy — to divide people into those who are on the right side of history and who are on the wrong side of history.
At the initial stage of the current phase of the crisis in the West, analysts began to play the role of activists and rhetorically exclaim: “how is that?”, “no war”, and “we are for peace.” For them, there is only one participant in the conflict worthy of support — Ukraine, which is on the right side of history. Accordingly, its missile attacks on Donbass and Russian territory are righteous. There was not a single sympathetic statement in the West regarding the murder of pro-Russian citizens in Odessa on May 2, 2014.
The tacit acceptance of a consistent defeat of the rights of Russians in Ukraine is completely unacceptable for Russia, and Western experts will not find understanding in Moscow until they stop looking at the problem selectively, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Andrey Sushentsov.
#ModernDiplomacy #Ukraine #West
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Blind Spots of the Moral Position of the West in the Ukrainian Crisis
Most analysts in the West have developed a special kind of moral blindness, which is rooted in the feeling of being chosen; the ideological, moral superiority of the Western model of development.
🇹🇷 As the spirit of the Cold War haunts current global politics with the spiraling down crisis, Turkey’s position represents a unique case.
From the beginning, Turkey pursued a balanced strategy and kept its dialogue channels open both with Moscow and Kiev.
As a NATO member state, Turkey principally avoided from pursuing the West's sanction regime. Moreover, Ankara kept its economic and political channels open with its Black Sea neighbors. Turkey’s balanced policy bored its fruits recently.
There is a need for further constructive approach from other parties as in the case of the grain corridor agreement. Otherwise, it is obvious that the winter of 2022 will be harsher for any actor linked with the conflict, writes Valdai Club expert Hasan Selim Özertem.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #Turkey
@valdai_club
From the beginning, Turkey pursued a balanced strategy and kept its dialogue channels open both with Moscow and Kiev.
As a NATO member state, Turkey principally avoided from pursuing the West's sanction regime. Moreover, Ankara kept its economic and political channels open with its Black Sea neighbors. Turkey’s balanced policy bored its fruits recently.
There is a need for further constructive approach from other parties as in the case of the grain corridor agreement. Otherwise, it is obvious that the winter of 2022 will be harsher for any actor linked with the conflict, writes Valdai Club expert Hasan Selim Özertem.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #Turkey
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Turkey’s Balanced Strategy in the Ukrainian Crisis
As the spirit of the Cold War haunts current global politics with the spiraling down crisis, Turkey’s position represents a unique case. From the beginning, Turkey pursued a balanced strategy and kept its dialogue channels open both with Moscow and Kiev.
📆 #EEF2022: The Valdai Discussion Club will take part in the business programme of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) for the sixth time.
💡 On September 6 at 10:00 local time (GMT+10), the Club will hold a session titled “Gateway to the Multipolar World. The Far East in the New Architecture of International Relations”.
For several years the focus in world politics and economics has been shifting towards Asia. The development of relations with Asia is one of the central focal points of Russia’s foreign policy. Taking into account the crisis that broke out this year in relations with the West, for Russia the development of ties with the Asian region is of strategic importance. Today we are witnessing how the Russian Far East is gradually turning not just into “Russia’s gateway to Asia” but into “the gateway to the multipolar world”. Unlike the Western world, there are no countries in the Asian region that would claim world domination. Despite the fact that Asia’s political consolidation is far behind that of the West, the region occupies a central place in the emerging system of multipolarity.
According to the Valdai Club, the Far East should become a kind of “interface” for interaction between Russia and Asia. It is there that the main practices and skills of Russia’s interaction with partners in the multipolar world will be formed and developed.
The Valdai Club session will be a logical continuation of the Club’s series of events within the framework of the EEF, which were dedicated to Russia’s pivot to the East. It will be political and economic in nature, and will bring together the representatives of public authorities, business, the expert community and academic circles.
Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation of the Valdai Discussion Club, will make an opening speech at the beginning of the session.
👥 Speakers:
🇷🇺 Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University
🇮🇳 B.K. Sharma, major general (ret.), director of the United Services Institution
🇷🇺 Natalia Stapran, Director of the Department for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
🇷🇺 Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District
🇨🇳 Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Deputy Dean of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China
Moderator:
🚩 Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation of the Valdai Discussion Club
Working languages: Russian, English.
📍 Venue: Far Eastern Federal University, Building B, Conference Hall No. 6, Vladivostok.
ℹ️ Entrance to the event is open to the EEF participants and journalists accredited at the Forum.
@valdai_club
💡 On September 6 at 10:00 local time (GMT+10), the Club will hold a session titled “Gateway to the Multipolar World. The Far East in the New Architecture of International Relations”.
For several years the focus in world politics and economics has been shifting towards Asia. The development of relations with Asia is one of the central focal points of Russia’s foreign policy. Taking into account the crisis that broke out this year in relations with the West, for Russia the development of ties with the Asian region is of strategic importance. Today we are witnessing how the Russian Far East is gradually turning not just into “Russia’s gateway to Asia” but into “the gateway to the multipolar world”. Unlike the Western world, there are no countries in the Asian region that would claim world domination. Despite the fact that Asia’s political consolidation is far behind that of the West, the region occupies a central place in the emerging system of multipolarity.
According to the Valdai Club, the Far East should become a kind of “interface” for interaction between Russia and Asia. It is there that the main practices and skills of Russia’s interaction with partners in the multipolar world will be formed and developed.
The Valdai Club session will be a logical continuation of the Club’s series of events within the framework of the EEF, which were dedicated to Russia’s pivot to the East. It will be political and economic in nature, and will bring together the representatives of public authorities, business, the expert community and academic circles.
Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation of the Valdai Discussion Club, will make an opening speech at the beginning of the session.
👥 Speakers:
🇷🇺 Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University
🇮🇳 B.K. Sharma, major general (ret.), director of the United Services Institution
🇷🇺 Natalia Stapran, Director of the Department for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
🇷🇺 Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation – Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District
🇨🇳 Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Deputy Dean of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China
Moderator:
🚩 Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation of the Valdai Discussion Club
Working languages: Russian, English.
📍 Venue: Far Eastern Federal University, Building B, Conference Hall No. 6, Vladivostok.
ℹ️ Entrance to the event is open to the EEF participants and journalists accredited at the Forum.
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Session of the Valdai Discussion Club at the Eastern Economic Forum 2022
The Valdai Discussion Club will take part in the business programme of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) for the sixth time. On September 6th at 10:00 a.m. local time, the Club will hold a session titled “Gateway to the multipolar world. The Far East in the…
Valdai Discussion Club pinned «📆 #EEF2022: The Valdai Discussion Club will take part in the business programme of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) for the sixth time. 💡 On September 6 at 10:00 local time (GMT+10), the Club will hold a session titled “Gateway to the Multipolar World. The…»
📆 #EEF2022: On September 6 at 12:30 local time (GMT+10), the Valdai Club will present a report at EEF-2022, titled “Russia-China Strategic Partnership in the Context of the Crisis in Europe”.
The Valdai Club, with the participation of employees of the HSE Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, became the first research centre in Russia to conduct an in-depth analysis of Russian-Chinese relations following the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
📌 The main purpose of the report is to analyse how the dynamics of bilateral relations have changed, to establish the limits of the influence of Western sanctions on the interaction between Moscow and Beijing, and the instruments and scope of interaction between the parties at the present time.
Against the backdrop of the increasingly unfriendly behaviour of the United States and other Western countries, as well as their attempts to impose their vision of the world order, the partnership between Moscow and Beijing has taken on a new meaning.
According to the authors of the report, the developments of recent months have dispelled arguments about the “fragility” of relations between Russia and China; they have shown that the parties share a common strategic vision and a willingness to support each other. The dynamics of interaction between China and Russia in recent months is not related to the Ukrainian crisis, but follows from the natural state of a long-term strategic partnership, the report emphasises.
👥 Speakers:
🔹 Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University
🔹 Evgeny Markin, Executive Director of the Russian-Chinese Business Council
🔹 Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Deputy Dean of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China
Moderator:
🚩 Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation of the Valdai Discussion Club
Working language: Russian, English.
📍 Venue: Far Eastern Federal University, Building A, Level 11, Roscongress Club, Vladivostok
ℹ️ Entrance to the event is open to EEF participants and journalists accredited at the Forum.
@valdai_club
The Valdai Club, with the participation of employees of the HSE Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, became the first research centre in Russia to conduct an in-depth analysis of Russian-Chinese relations following the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
📌 The main purpose of the report is to analyse how the dynamics of bilateral relations have changed, to establish the limits of the influence of Western sanctions on the interaction between Moscow and Beijing, and the instruments and scope of interaction between the parties at the present time.
Against the backdrop of the increasingly unfriendly behaviour of the United States and other Western countries, as well as their attempts to impose their vision of the world order, the partnership between Moscow and Beijing has taken on a new meaning.
According to the authors of the report, the developments of recent months have dispelled arguments about the “fragility” of relations between Russia and China; they have shown that the parties share a common strategic vision and a willingness to support each other. The dynamics of interaction between China and Russia in recent months is not related to the Ukrainian crisis, but follows from the natural state of a long-term strategic partnership, the report emphasises.
👥 Speakers:
🔹 Anastasia Likhacheva, Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, HSE University
🔹 Evgeny Markin, Executive Director of the Russian-Chinese Business Council
🔹 Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Deputy Dean of Silk Road School, Renmin University of China
Moderator:
🚩 Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation of the Valdai Discussion Club
Working language: Russian, English.
📍 Venue: Far Eastern Federal University, Building A, Level 11, Roscongress Club, Vladivostok
ℹ️ Entrance to the event is open to EEF participants and journalists accredited at the Forum.
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Presentation of the Valdai Club Report at the Eastern Economic Forum 2022
On September 6 at 12:30 local time (GMT+10), the Valdai Club will present a report at EEF-2022, titled “Russia-China Strategic Partnership in the Context of the Crisis in Europe”.
Valdai Discussion Club pinned «📆 #EEF2022: On September 6 at 12:30 local time (GMT+10), the Valdai Club will present a report at EEF-2022, titled “Russia-China Strategic Partnership in the Context of the Crisis in Europe”. The Valdai Club, with the participation of employees of the HSE…»
🌏 Now, when the contours of the sanctions restrictions of the collective West in relation to Russia have taken their almost-complete shape, the need for a revision of the system of Russian foreign economic relations is becoming obvious.
In the context of the forced break and undocking of many previously seemingly unshakable economic ties with the EU countries, Russian state and business structures have much more actively than before begun to pay attention to the geographically more distant, but so far politically relatively neutral nations of Southeast Asia, united as the ASEAN trade bloc.
However, are there any real grounds that amid the new geo-economic and geopolitical conditions, Russia and the ASEAN countries will be able to build up economic cooperation, and perhaps even elevate it to a qualitatively new level? Ekaterina Koldunova tries to answer this question.
#Valdai_WorldEconomy #ASEAN
@valdai_club
In the context of the forced break and undocking of many previously seemingly unshakable economic ties with the EU countries, Russian state and business structures have much more actively than before begun to pay attention to the geographically more distant, but so far politically relatively neutral nations of Southeast Asia, united as the ASEAN trade bloc.
However, are there any real grounds that amid the new geo-economic and geopolitical conditions, Russia and the ASEAN countries will be able to build up economic cooperation, and perhaps even elevate it to a qualitatively new level? Ekaterina Koldunova tries to answer this question.
#Valdai_WorldEconomy #ASEAN
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Russia-ASEAN: Limits and Opportunities of Economic Partnership
Are there any real grounds that amid the new geo-economic and geopolitical conditions, Russia and the ASEAN countries will be able to build up economic cooperation, and perhaps even elevate it to a qualitatively new level?
🌏 Regardless of the tone of the assessments, the deeds and words of Gorbachev are known to everyone, for the older generations — according to their personal memory, for the current generation of students — on questions from Russia’s Unified State Examination.
And therefore, it is tempting for a historian not to write another text about Gorbachev, of which there have already been so many these days, but to speculate about the forks in history: what would have happened “with the Motherland and with us” if Gorbachev had never existed. We partly referred to these alternatives earlier, in the Valdai Paper “What If… the Soviet Union Had Not Collapsed?”
Whether it is possible to reconcile the “black” and “white” assessments of Gorbachev, only history will show, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Oleg Barabanov.
#Norms_and_Values #Gorbachev
@valdai_club
And therefore, it is tempting for a historian not to write another text about Gorbachev, of which there have already been so many these days, but to speculate about the forks in history: what would have happened “with the Motherland and with us” if Gorbachev had never existed. We partly referred to these alternatives earlier, in the Valdai Paper “What If… the Soviet Union Had Not Collapsed?”
Whether it is possible to reconcile the “black” and “white” assessments of Gorbachev, only history will show, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Oleg Barabanov.
#Norms_and_Values #Gorbachev
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
If There Had Been No Gorbachev
Was the USSR doomed to collapse under Gorbachev? Could anyone stop him? Alas, the “staff culture” of the Central Committee was such that “collective leadership” was a fiction. The principle “the boss is always right” dominated, writes Valdai Club Programme…
🗝🏰 For the European Union, the benefits of visa restrictions are mainly symbolic.
Visa sanctions are another measure that can be written down as an asset in containing Russia. They can be regarded as a signal that there will be no return to the conditionally pre-February model of relations. The preservation of interpersonal contacts as they existed before does not correspond to current political realities, which means that they can and should be brought to a common and, at the same time, the smallest denominator.
Obviously, calls for a total visa ban for Russians are a form of populism. They come mainly from countries that used to be in the anti-Russian vanguard. However, less radical steps in the form of reducing the number of visas and increasing the processing time for applications may well be sold on the political market as another blow to Russia, as well as be a way of gaining moral self-satisfaction in the fight against it.
Another symbolic plus in the eyes of the EU authorities could be the transformation of a trip to the EU for Russians from an ordinary routine into a hard-to-reach privilege that must be earned. It is possible that the visa policy will become a tool for selecting between “good” Russians and “bad” ones.
The EU’s visa manipulations are sure to irritate, rather than support the majority. They will be seen as yet another step towards the “cancellation of Russia”, and the rhetoric of EU officials will be seen even more as demagogy, indicating weakness rather than strength.
The thesis which is widespread in the intellectual discourse of the EU, that the dissatisfaction of Russians with the reduction in trips to the Union is transforming into dissatisfaction with the authorities, seems naive, writes Ivan Timofeev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.
#EconomicStatecraft #EU #sanctions #visas
@valdaiclub
Visa sanctions are another measure that can be written down as an asset in containing Russia. They can be regarded as a signal that there will be no return to the conditionally pre-February model of relations. The preservation of interpersonal contacts as they existed before does not correspond to current political realities, which means that they can and should be brought to a common and, at the same time, the smallest denominator.
Obviously, calls for a total visa ban for Russians are a form of populism. They come mainly from countries that used to be in the anti-Russian vanguard. However, less radical steps in the form of reducing the number of visas and increasing the processing time for applications may well be sold on the political market as another blow to Russia, as well as be a way of gaining moral self-satisfaction in the fight against it.
Another symbolic plus in the eyes of the EU authorities could be the transformation of a trip to the EU for Russians from an ordinary routine into a hard-to-reach privilege that must be earned. It is possible that the visa policy will become a tool for selecting between “good” Russians and “bad” ones.
The EU’s visa manipulations are sure to irritate, rather than support the majority. They will be seen as yet another step towards the “cancellation of Russia”, and the rhetoric of EU officials will be seen even more as demagogy, indicating weakness rather than strength.
The thesis which is widespread in the intellectual discourse of the EU, that the dissatisfaction of Russians with the reduction in trips to the Union is transforming into dissatisfaction with the authorities, seems naive, writes Ivan Timofeev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.
#EconomicStatecraft #EU #sanctions #visas
@valdaiclub
Valdai Club
Visa Sanctions - A Sign of Strength? No.
For the European Union, the benefits of visa restrictions are mainly symbolic. Visa sanctions are another measure that can be written down as an asset in containing Russia. They can be regarded as a signal that there will be no return to the conditionally…
🌐 The main institutions of the Bretton Woods system, which have existed since the Second World War, are rapidly losing their economic weight.
At this time, key actors in the developing world are coming to the fore, calling into question the out-dated rules of the game, including the hegemony of the West.
Instead of destroying the legacy of the last century, they offer an alternative economic system where each player is able to influence important decisions at the international level.
The BRICS countries have proposed their own concept for building the future of financial stability - the New Development Bank, write Maksim Chirkov and Alisa Kazelko.
#Valdai_WorldEconomy #BRICS
@valdai_club
At this time, key actors in the developing world are coming to the fore, calling into question the out-dated rules of the game, including the hegemony of the West.
Instead of destroying the legacy of the last century, they offer an alternative economic system where each player is able to influence important decisions at the international level.
The BRICS countries have proposed their own concept for building the future of financial stability - the New Development Bank, write Maksim Chirkov and Alisa Kazelko.
#Valdai_WorldEconomy #BRICS
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
BRICS New Development Bank: A Second Bretton Woods or a New Trend with its Own Future?
The main institutions of the Bretton Woods system, which have existed since the Second World War, are rapidly losing their economic weight. At this time, key actors in the developing world are coming to the fore, calling into question the out-dated rules…
🌏🌎 The BRICS+ summit and the foreign ministers’ BRICS+ meeting in 2022 brought together developing economies that represented regional blocs such as the African Union, CELAC, SCO, GCC and ASEAN.
This in effect was the widest outreach exercise covering the vast majority of the Global South and representing a platform that could prove instrumental in advancing greater economic openness across the developing world.
The key factor that renders the creation of a South-South FTA feasible and in fact expedient is the high degree of undertrading along the “South-South” axis compared to the potential based on distance and respective country GDP levels (indications of the gravity model). Another factor is the “integration gap” — namely the significantly lower scale and quality of integration in the developing world compared to the advanced economies.
The South-South FTA could serve to bridge this gap and foster “catch-up integration” or “integration convergence” vis-à-vis the developed world, writes Yaroslav Lissovolik, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.
#Valdai_WorldEconomy #BRICS #GlobalSouth
@valdai_club
This in effect was the widest outreach exercise covering the vast majority of the Global South and representing a platform that could prove instrumental in advancing greater economic openness across the developing world.
The key factor that renders the creation of a South-South FTA feasible and in fact expedient is the high degree of undertrading along the “South-South” axis compared to the potential based on distance and respective country GDP levels (indications of the gravity model). Another factor is the “integration gap” — namely the significantly lower scale and quality of integration in the developing world compared to the advanced economies.
The South-South FTA could serve to bridge this gap and foster “catch-up integration” or “integration convergence” vis-à-vis the developed world, writes Yaroslav Lissovolik, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.
#Valdai_WorldEconomy #BRICS #GlobalSouth
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Towards a Free Trade Area for the Global South
The expanded format of the BRICS+ dialogue conducted by China in June 2022 as well as the rising number of large developing economies expressing willingness to join the BRICS core grouping sets the scene for more ambitious steps directed at strengthening…
🇷🇺🌏 What place relations with Asia will occupy for Russia in the coming years?
1️⃣ First, relations with China and, especially, other Asian states are still no way to resolve problems of an existential nature. Trade and economic relations in the East, in the face of attempts at a partial blockade by the West, solve the problem of maintaining the Russian presence in the world economy, despite the United States and its allies attempting to erase it from this global system of connections.
2️⃣ Second, Russia will have to solve the key tasks of national development on its own, without relying on external sources of technology, not to mention finances. The coming era will require states to have a much greater degree of de facto sovereignty and, in a sense, a capacity for limited autarky. Therefore, for all the importance of ties outside the West, Russia cannot simply reorient itself from one direction to another while maintaining its historically-formed strategy of dependence on external sources of development.
3️⃣ Third, it must be taken into account that even the most active ties in Asia cannot supplant relations with the states of the Islamic world, neighbouring countries and, in fact, Europe, where not everyone is inclined to build walls on their eastern border. The geopolitical position of Russia cannot be changed simply because of a military-political conflict.
Summing up, we can say that amid modern conditions, relations with the Asian countries are indeed becoming not a choice, but a necessity, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Timofei Bordachev.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #geopolitics
@valdai_club
1️⃣ First, relations with China and, especially, other Asian states are still no way to resolve problems of an existential nature. Trade and economic relations in the East, in the face of attempts at a partial blockade by the West, solve the problem of maintaining the Russian presence in the world economy, despite the United States and its allies attempting to erase it from this global system of connections.
2️⃣ Second, Russia will have to solve the key tasks of national development on its own, without relying on external sources of technology, not to mention finances. The coming era will require states to have a much greater degree of de facto sovereignty and, in a sense, a capacity for limited autarky. Therefore, for all the importance of ties outside the West, Russia cannot simply reorient itself from one direction to another while maintaining its historically-formed strategy of dependence on external sources of development.
3️⃣ Third, it must be taken into account that even the most active ties in Asia cannot supplant relations with the states of the Islamic world, neighbouring countries and, in fact, Europe, where not everyone is inclined to build walls on their eastern border. The geopolitical position of Russia cannot be changed simply because of a military-political conflict.
Summing up, we can say that amid modern conditions, relations with the Asian countries are indeed becoming not a choice, but a necessity, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Timofei Bordachev.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #geopolitics
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Russia’s Turn to the East: Between Choice and Necessity
The coming era will require states to have a much greater degree of de facto sovereignty and, in a sense, a capacity for limited autarky. Therefore, for all the importance of ties outside the West, Russia cannot simply reorient itself from one direction to…
🇨🇳 The new stage of Chinese policy towards Taiwan will most likely be characterised by the more active use of military instruments of pressure on the island.
China has been able to build a powerful infrastructure for economic influence on Taiwan, becoming a key trade and industrial partner for the island. Hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese live and do business in the mainland.
But the PRC has been unable to convert this economic influence and human connections into real political influence in Taiwan. Since the return of the Democratic Progressive Party to power in the 2016 elections, the situation in relations with China has steadily deteriorated.
From the point of view of the PRC, an extremely alarming, unbearable situation has developed on the Taiwan issue: there is a simultaneous increase in separatist sentiments inside the island, an increase of American military assistance to the island, and an accelerated erosion of the One China policy by the United States. The answer was the mobilisation of the resources of the Chinese state to resolve the Taiwan issue in a short time period, if necessary, with the use of force.
With a formal commitment to a peaceful solution to the problem, the real possibilities for “peaceful reunification” are narrowing, writes Valdai Club expert Vasily Kashin.
#ModernDiplomacy #China #Taiwan
@valdai_club
China has been able to build a powerful infrastructure for economic influence on Taiwan, becoming a key trade and industrial partner for the island. Hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese live and do business in the mainland.
But the PRC has been unable to convert this economic influence and human connections into real political influence in Taiwan. Since the return of the Democratic Progressive Party to power in the 2016 elections, the situation in relations with China has steadily deteriorated.
From the point of view of the PRC, an extremely alarming, unbearable situation has developed on the Taiwan issue: there is a simultaneous increase in separatist sentiments inside the island, an increase of American military assistance to the island, and an accelerated erosion of the One China policy by the United States. The answer was the mobilisation of the resources of the Chinese state to resolve the Taiwan issue in a short time period, if necessary, with the use of force.
With a formal commitment to a peaceful solution to the problem, the real possibilities for “peaceful reunification” are narrowing, writes Valdai Club expert Vasily Kashin.
#ModernDiplomacy #China #Taiwan
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan and Beijing's New Course on the Taiwan Issue
The visit of Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in early August can be considered a landmark event in the development of the Taiwan problem. This even had an impact on formal assessments: a few days after the visit, China published…
📆 #EEF2022: the Valdai Discussion Club will take part in the Eastern Economic Forum for the sixth time tomorrow.
On Tuesday, September 6, we will run two events within the framework of the business programme of EEF:
🔷 At 10:00 local time (GMT+10), we will hold a session titled “Gateway to the Multipolar World. The Far East in the New Architecture of International Relations”.
🔷 At 12:30 (GMT+10), the Valdai Club will present a report at EEF-2022, titled “Russia-China Strategic Partnership in the Context of the Crisis in Europe”.
Stay tuned!
@valdai_club
On Tuesday, September 6, we will run two events within the framework of the business programme of EEF:
🔷 At 10:00 local time (GMT+10), we will hold a session titled “Gateway to the Multipolar World. The Far East in the New Architecture of International Relations”.
🔷 At 12:30 (GMT+10), the Valdai Club will present a report at EEF-2022, titled “Russia-China Strategic Partnership in the Context of the Crisis in Europe”.
Stay tuned!
@valdai_club
🌏 The 21st century is the century of the Far East.
🎯 In 2021, half of the world’s population was in the Far East.
🎯 Half of the top 20 countries by population are from the Far East: China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam.
🎯 The Far East Economic Circle accounts for 40% of the global GDP and contributes more than 50% of the global economic growth.
🎯 Between 2015 and 2030, the consumption of the world’s middle class is expected to increase by 30 trillion U.S. dollar, with Europe accounting for only 1 trillion U.S. dollar, and more than a half is from the Far East.
The most urgent task now is to correct the past stereotype of “Far East = remoteness + marginalization”.
We need to regard it as the hope for future development, and strive to promote the integration of the Russian Far East into the Greater Far East, that is, the process of East Asian economic integration, writes Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Renmin University of China.
📌 The article was prepared in advance of the Valdai Sessions as part of the Eastern Economic Forum 2022.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #EEF #EEF2022 #FarEast
@valdai_club
🎯 In 2021, half of the world’s population was in the Far East.
🎯 Half of the top 20 countries by population are from the Far East: China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam.
🎯 The Far East Economic Circle accounts for 40% of the global GDP and contributes more than 50% of the global economic growth.
🎯 Between 2015 and 2030, the consumption of the world’s middle class is expected to increase by 30 trillion U.S. dollar, with Europe accounting for only 1 trillion U.S. dollar, and more than a half is from the Far East.
The most urgent task now is to correct the past stereotype of “Far East = remoteness + marginalization”.
We need to regard it as the hope for future development, and strive to promote the integration of the Russian Far East into the Greater Far East, that is, the process of East Asian economic integration, writes Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY), Renmin University of China.
📌 The article was prepared in advance of the Valdai Sessions as part of the Eastern Economic Forum 2022.
#Asia_and_Eurasia #EEF #EEF2022 #FarEast
@valdai_club
Valdai Club
The Arrival of the “Far East” Century
The most urgent task now is to correct the past stereotype of “Far East = remoteness + marginalization”. We need to regard it as the hope for future development, and strive to promote the integration of the Russian Far East into the Greater Far East, that…