Plenary session of the 9th Eastern Economic Forum

The forum’s slogan this year is ‘Far East 2030. Combining Strengths to Create New Potential’.

Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng and Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim also participated in the session. The discussion was moderated by Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Russia 24 news channel Alexandra Suvorova.

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Alexandra Suvorova: Good afternoon.

It is my great honour and privilege to welcome you to the Eastern Economic Forum’s plenary session. This year, the main theme is Far East 2030: Combining Strengths to Create New Potential.

Mr President, you have repeatedly emphasised the importance of developing Russia’s Far East as a priority for the 21^st century. What has been achieved so far and what do we need to accomplish moving forward? How is Russia building relations with its colleagues within the Asia-Pacific Region (APR) and its regional associations?

During this session, we will try to answer these questions together. But before we do that, Mr President, I would like to give you the floor and invite you to address this gathering from the podium.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Anwar Ibrahim,

Mr Han Zheng,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends.

I am delighted to offer warm greetings to all the participants and guests of the 9^th Eastern Economic Forum.

It has become a tradition for Russia and the city of Vladivostok to host this event in early September, bringing together businesses, technology providers, research teams, senior executives from major corporations, government officials, specialists, experts and entrepreneurs who are interested in Russia’s Far East and recognise the immense opportunities this unique Russian region offers for launching creative undertakings and engaging in mutually beneficial partnerships.

As you know, and as our moderator Aleksandra pointed out, we have designated the development of the Far East as a national priority for the 21st century. The significance and correctness of that decision have been confirmed by life itself, the challenges we have recently encountered and, most importantly, the objective trends that are gaining momentum in the global economy, when the main business ties, trade routes and the overall development are increasingly shifting towards the East and the Global South.

Our Far Eastern regions offer direct access to these growing emerging markets, helping us overcome the barriers which some Western elites are trying to create worldwide. The most important thing, as I have already mentioned, is that the Far East is a huge area for implementing business initiatives, launching complex projects and creating whole new industries.

In fact, the Far East has become a crucial factor for strengthening Russia’s standing in the world and our flagship in the new global economic reality. The further development of the Far East will largely determine the future of our country as a whole.

This subject – the image of our future – is the key focus of nearly 100 events, panel sessions and roundtable discussions at the Eastern Economic Forum. Overall, representatives of more than 75 countries and territories are taking part in the forum’s events.

It is extremely important that such discussions are complemented with substantive business dialogues and result in the adoption of investment decisions and trade agreements. I would like to say that over a thousand agreements worth in total more than 10.5 trillion rubles were signed during the previous three forums.

In short, the Eastern Economic Forum has rightfully become a respected venue for establishing reliable business contacts and discussing the strategic development of the Russian Far East and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.

In my address I will tell you about some of our planned actions in this sphere, our proposals for our foreign partners on strengthening investment, trade, industrial and technological cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as about our achievements and plans in the economy, infrastructure and social sphere of the Far East, including for improving the quality of life for our citizens in this region.

Let me remind you that back in 2013 we launched a new strategic programme and a governance framework for promoting comprehensive development in Russia’s Far East. And this approach has proven its worth. Over the past ten years, over three and a half thousand manufacturing, infrastructure, technology and educational projects have been launched in this region. Over the same period, fixed capital investment has been gathering momentum in Russia’s Far East, with the growth rate exceeding the national average by a factor of three.

This investment brought about tangible results. There are about 1,000 new enterprises here, and these efforts helped create over 140,000 jobs. In terms of industrial output growth, the region has been above the national average by 25 percent since 2013.

Let me also remind you that there are currently 16 priority development territories in Russia’s Far East. There is also the Free Port of Vladivostok. We introduced a preferential regime for the Kurils, and established a special administrative district on Russky Island – this is where this meeting is taking place. By the way, this district has offered a pathway for re-shoring assets worth over 5.5 trillion rubles back to Russia from offshore and foreign jurisdictions. More than 100 companies are currently registered here.

We will make sure to continue this advancement and will work tirelessly to improve the business environment in Russia in general, as well as in its Far East, including by relying on innovative and effective practices when working with foreign investors.

For example, we announced the initiative to establish international priority development territories in the Far East at the 2023 Eastern Economic Forum. Foreign investors, primarily from the friendly countries, of course, must benefit from a globally competitive environment.

We have plans to establish our first international priority development territory here in the Primorye Territory. Our Chinese partners, as well as the Republic of Belarus, have shown great interest in this undertaking. Belarus could even contribute to building a new deep-water port here. I would like to ask the State Duma and the Government to step up their efforts to draft a law for launching these international priority development territories.

There is another regulatory solution designed to facilitate and expand our ties with our foreign partners. Starting on September 1, 2024, Russian law allows for the use of foreign standards in construction and design. Of course, this applies to countries where quality and safety requirements for permanent structures are just as high as here in Russia. I hope that this approach serves its purpose, including within the Far East’s international priority development territories.

Developing Bolshoi Ussuriysky Island in the Khabarovsk Territory should serve as a model for working with our foreign partners, attracting investment in construction projects and creating jobs. This project provides for creating major logistics centres and border checkpoints, as well as expanding its road network.

Last May, during the state visit to the People’s Republic of China, we agreed to collaborate with our Chinese colleagues on this project. I am certain that it will provide a good powerful impetus to the development of Khabarovsk and the entire region. I am asking the Government to finalise all the organisational and financial issues in order to begin fulfilling this plan as soon as 2025.

Of course, electricity supply is one of the key issues when it comes to launching business initiatives in the processing industry, in housing construction and in transport network upgrade, across all areas, in fact.

The Russian Far East is experiencing an increase in energy consumption. The current rate is 69 billion kilowatt per hour annually, and by the end of the decade, we expect it to be around 96 billion. Even today, there are areas, residential areas and major Far Eastern investors who face the shortage of power and have to wait for the launch of new stations, which delays construction, the operation of industrial facilities and infrastructure.

I have already instructed the Government, our major energy companies and business circles to develop a long-term development programme for energy capacity in the Far East, and work on respective project financing mechanisms.

This programme aims to eliminate the expected deficit of electric energy in the Far East, primarily by launching new generation facilities like, for example, the Nizhne-Zeiskaya HPP in the Amur Region, which will not only provide electricity to the region and the Eastern Operating Domain but also help protect territories and residential areas from flooding. I am also asking you to consider building nuclear power plants in the Far East. We discussed this with our colleagues yesterday.

I want to emphasise that the power development plan must consider both current and future needs of businesses and the public, as well as the long-term objectives of the constituent entities, cities and smaller residential areas.

This also applies to strengthening transport and logistics capabilities of the Far East and the entire country. The largest and most significant project here is, of course, the expansion of the Eastern Operating Domain.

In the past ten years, more than 2,000 km of railway tracks have been built and more than 5,000 km have been renovated on the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal-Amur Mainline. We have built and renovated more than 100 bridges and tunnels, including those across the Lena, Bureya and Selenga rivers. By the end of this year, the carrying capacity of the Eastern Operating Domain railway network is expected to reach 180 million tonnes.

This year, we launched the third stage of this highly important transport artery, and the works are currently underway.

I want to emphasise that our objective is to eliminate railway bottlenecks and build over 300 facilities, including routes supplementing the Severomuisky, Kuznetsovsky and Kodarsky tunnels, as well as a bridge across the Amur River. This is a much more ambitious goal. It is crucial to start planning for the future today.For example, we will need to lay a second set of tracks along the entire Baikal-Amur Mainline and electrify this railway.

Over the next eight years, we will lay 3,100 kilometres of tracks along the Eastern Operating Domain. To put this into perspective, this is the same volume of tracks that were laid during the first and second stages of expanding BAM and the Trans-Siberian Mainline combined. This is also comparable to the construction of BAM in 1974−1984.

Today, we are implementing a project whose scale exceeds the largest Soviet-era infrastructure investment project completed by all Soviet republics pooling all their resources.

Just like the Trans-Siberian Mainline, the new transport corridor between St Petersburg and Vladivostok will serve as a vital continental artery.

Expanding freight traffic volumes and improving the quality of vehicle traffic are not the only goals. When completed, the new corridor will also promote inbound tourism: the entire route passes through numerous Russian regions.

The corridor is being developed in stages. In December 2023, we opened a modern motorway between Moscow and Kazan. By late 2024, this route will reach Yekaterinburg and later Tyumen. We will also build bypass roads in Omsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Kansk.

In the future, when the modern road reaches Vladivostok, the auto transport corridor will be over 10,000 kilometres long, including routes for accessing checkpoints on the Russian state border.

In this connection, I would like to remind you of the objective set out in the Address to the Federal Assembly, specifically, the reduction of queues at the border and reducing the time in which lorries undergo checks, which should not exceed ten minutes.

We aim to achieve this result at the first five Far Eastern border checkpoints by 2026. It is worth noting that railway checkpoints are already processing freight at the border promptly.

Let me stress this: a truly large-scale effort has been launched at both the Eastern Operating Domain’s railway network and at all of Russia’s major road infrastructure facilities. This effort involves specialists, engineers, and designers from many regions of our country. They are proving through their hard work and responsible approach to business that Russia is ready and able to handle large-scale construction projects, and do it quickly and with high quality, and to implement infrastructure and transport projects on a national and global scale. These projects include the development of the Northern Sea Route as an international logistical route. Over the past decade, the freight traffic flow on this route has increased by an order of magnitude, from just four million tonnes in 2014 to over 36 million tonnes last year. This is 400 percent more than the Soviet-time record.

We will continue to boost the freight traffic, including by developing actively Arctic deposits, rerouting cargo flows from west to east, and expanding the transit.

The large-scale plan for the development of the Northern Sea Route is currently being implemented. We are building icebreakers, expanding our satellite cluster in orbit, strengthening the coastal infrastructure, and upgrading the network of emergency and rescue centres. Coastal cruises were launched on the Northern Sea Route two years ago to familiarise ourselves with new logistical routes. Today, this arrangement includes 14 ports in the Northwest, the Arctic, and the Russian Far East.

It is worth noting that the capacity of Russian ports within the limits of the Northern Sea Route exceeded 40 million tonnes at the end of last year. However, we believe that this is just the beginning. We will continue to increase their capacities, upgrade the cargo transshipment mechanism, and expand the nearby and far-off rail approaches to these ports. One of our goals is to increase the capacity of the Murmansk Transport Hub to 100 million tonnes and potentially even higher.

Let me note that our Eurasian integration partners are also interested in developing the Murmansk Transport Hub. For example, the colleagues from Belarus I have mentioned are giving careful consideration to the prospects for expanding the port infrastructure and their terminals on the Kola Peninsula. Of course, we also invite other countries to take part in this project. I know that there is an interest in this work.

Let me add that Russia implements all its transport and logistical initiatives using advanced engineering, digital and environmental solutions. This creates additional demand for the output of Russian machine-building and iron-and-steel plants, and for services of the construction and other industries, research institutions, and hi-tech businesses.

It is with this approach based on the latest solutions and the greatly improved technological, economic and educational capability of the country as a whole, that we must address the tasks of strategic development of the Far East, including the further strengthening of the region’s basic mineral resources sector.

Today, the Far East accounts for 100 percent of the country’s tungsten, tin, fluor spar and tincal production, 80 percent of diamonds and uranium, over 70 percent of silver, and 60 percent of gold. However, mining in the main production areas, including Yakutia and Chukotka, began long ago and their resources are objectively limited, while the demand for them is growing, both for export and on the domestic market.

We must ensure the resource sovereignty of our country and provide a reliable basis for the sustainable supply of affordable raw materials and fuel to the national economy, to our regions, cities and towns, as well as create a foundation for the production of new materials and energy sources. As I mentioned earlier, we must accomplish this by utilising more effective domestic technologies and scientific solutions in the fields of ecology and mineral resources management.

During our forum last year, we instructed the Government to prepare separate programmes for exploring the resources of the Far East and Siberia and to incorporate them into the Geology. Revival of a Legend federal project.

These programmes have been prepared. According to our estimates, every ruble of federal funds invested in exploration will attract at least 10 rubles of private investment. But the main thing is that these investments will pay back and produce a huge profit, as well as have a comprehensive effect throughout the production chain. However, this job must be completed within the given timeframe and with due regard for the investment planning horizon.

I ask the Government to include the funding of these programmes in the draft three-year federal budget in the amounts necessary for achieving our goals.

As I said, the Far East has the potential to increase the state of geological exploration severalfold, including when it comes to the exploration for and production of high-tech raw materials such as titanium, lithium, niobium and rare earth metals, which we will need for the economy of the future. Most importantly, we have all these elements.

These industries have a huge potential for the growth of our Far Eastern regions, for creating jobs, enhancing the availability of various services, strengthening ties and improving logistics efficiency.

We will support the development of innovative and creative industries, and the infrastructure for the big data and AI economy in the Far East. In particular, we will establish a zone here where civilian purpose drones will be created.

We will continue to build up the scientific and educational potential of the Far East so as to use the advantages of technological progress to full capacity. New projects to build university campuses in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Khabarovsk have been launched in the region, but this is clearly not enough for the Far East.

I propose launching several more projects, namely, to build new campuses in Ulan-Ude, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Chita. We will also complete the second phase of the campus at the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. These campuses will have all the necessary conditions for study, work and accommodation of the students, as well as youth entrepreneurship platforms and business clubs.

We will also upgrade our Arctic universities. The project to build a campus in Arkhangelsk will be followed by a similar project in Murmansk.

Innovative engineering schools will be created at university campuses. Two such schools have already opened in Sakhalin and Vladivostok. Their task is not only to train professionals for our industries, agriculture, transport, the services sector and AI spheres, but also to propose unique solutions for broad implementation in management, the social sphere and economic sectors.

A RusHydro science and technology centre has been functioning efficiently on Russky Island for two years. It is focused on innovative global energy research, and its solutions are being actively used in the retooling and modernisation programme of the energy sector in the Far East.

Our leading companies will contribute to the establishment of another major innovative science and technology centre at the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island. It will specialise in research and practical solutions in the fields of marine engineering, biotechnology, biomedicine and other promising spheres.

I urge our colleagues in the Government and in the Primorye Territory to use the Far Eastern concession mechanism for the implementation of that project, as well as to explore ways to attract scientists from other research centres in Russia and other countries to that centre. What I have in mind are competitive incentive programmes and benefits packages for professionals and their families.

Colleagues,

We realise that the successful implementation of our plans in the Far East and nationwide depends primarily on the people and Russian families.

I have already noted that we cannot rely on outdated logic, where new plants and factories were built first and then the authorities started thinking about their employees. This unfair logic simply does not work in a modern economy, an economy of the future that revolves around people.

This is why we have launched major social initiatives together with new economic plans in the Far East. We have also activated the unified subsidy mechanism, which helps fund the construction of schools and kindergartens, outpatient clinics and hospitals and sports centres, improve the urban environment and implement infrastructure modernisation projects. Almost 2,000 social and infrastructure facilities have been built to date.

The unified subsidy has become a powerful financial lever for the Far Eastern concession mechanism. It aims to attract private investment in social projects. Businesses are already planning to invest over 120 billion rubles for this purpose. We are currently implementing 36 of these initiatives, with work already underway.

For example, we are building a year-round alpine skiing resort here in Primorye, as well as a national museum and theatre in Ulan-Ude. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky will receive a new community centre, and an art museum will be completed in Khabarovsk. We are building new sports facilities in Magadan and Chita. We are completely modernising municipal lighting systems in Chita and Birobidzhan. Of course, we will continue to support the Far Eastern concession project and to adjust its mechanism to meet the needs of the people and the capabilities of the business community.

I would like to note separately that, today, the system of public-private partnership helps build schools, airports, bridges and motorways, and to upgrade municipal transport networks across the country. However, the volume of these projects remains small, accounting for less than three percent of the GDP or 4.4 trillion rubles.

To intensify the development of this sector, it is necessary to upgrade specialised legislation. We should also adjust the mechanism of public-private partnership to ensure transparent risk distribution for all the parties involved, including state agencies and businesses. These risks should be distributed equitably, including during the implementation of socially important projects.

Considering the experience and achievements in implementing technological sovereignty projects, I suggest that the VEB.RF Development Corporation becomes a mandatory participant in public-private partnership projects. It should oversee the risk allocation system and confirm the profitability of projects for the state and businesses. Mr Shuvalov and I have discussed this issue, and the corporation is ready for this. Just like the Projects Funding Factory, it should incentivise private investment.

I ask the Government and VEB.RF to chart specific parameters of transactions and their scale within the system of public-private partnership, with the participation of VEB.RF being a requirement.

Next, it is extremely important to attract private investment that aligns with the long-term development plans of our industries and territories, as well as our cities and towns. It is for their comprehensive development that we are actively promoting master plans, which are a fundamentally new mechanism for improving the quality of our people’s lives. Many are aware of this, in particular, our Russian colleagues.

These plans have been approved for 22 administrative centres and urban conglomerates in the Far East, where over four million people live. In particular, a master plan has been prepared for a satellite city of Vladivostok, which will have a cohesive development strategy for the development of a huge conglomerate comprising Vladivostok, Artyom and the Nadezhdinsky District. Its implementation is slated to begin in 2025.

What are the specific features, essence and novelties of these master plans? To understand them, we need to examine the previous situation at the local level. There was poor coordination between economic and urban planning services. Construction, housing and utilities, and social infrastructure were operating by themselves, which led to unbalanced decisions and disjointed urban spaces.

Today, the region and local administrations have held a series of discussions with the public and businesses, which helped pinpoint problem areas, assess the development potential of all aspects of their cities, and prepare individual long-term development models for each of them.

In fact, it was for the first time that one document comprised all socioeconomic and spatial development models that included the construction of transport, housing and utilities, energy and other infrastructure. As I said, the integral part of these plans is to improve the quality of people’s lives. It is our main goal.

Many elements of these Far Eastern master plans are still at the design stage, but we can say confidently that 70 facilities will be completed this year. In future, the implementation of these master plans must be accelerated.

The Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic has compiled a special rating of regions and agencies that are particularly active in this sphere. The current leaders in the implementation of these master plans are the Sakhalin and Magadan regions, the Republic of Buryatia, and the Kamchatka and Khabarovsk territories. I would like to thank our colleagues for their significant progress and ask them to continue building momentum.

At the same time, I would like to note that we will monitor the implementation pace of the Far Eastern master plans every year and recognise the best regional teams and federal agencies. This will allow other colleagues to learn from their success and adopt their best practices.

I should add that decisions have been made regarding additional budget loans for Government-approved master plans. Thirty billion rubles have already been allocated – as additional funding, I want to emphasise that. I propose allocating 100 billion rubles from the approved loan limit for 2025–2030 specifically for the master plans of our Far Eastern and Arctic cities, which will exceed the limits that the regions will receive as regular disbursement.

We should not forget about the urban development plans as we develop new national projects that are currently in their final stages. Moreover, it is necessary to allocate funds for specific sections, primarily for such national projects as Infrastructure for Living, Effective Transport System, Family, Long and Active Life, and Youth and Children.

What else is important? Half of the expenses under the master plans of the Far Eastern cities are covered by non-budgetary sources – that is, business investment and backbone enterprises that are willing to build outpatient clinics and kindergartens, sport facilities, roads, utilities networks, and restore cultural monuments, and so on.

As I said, we will certainly support such business investment. I am confident that, as the transformation of the cities and towns gains pace, the share of private investment will undoubtedly grow as well, including from our strategic partners such as large enterprises that take an active role in city renovation under their own social responsibility programmes in their present locations. We should take advantage of their results, capacities and experience when implementing the master plans.

Our strategic partners could, for example, fully fund a social infrastructure facility in a city, a town or a residential area where their investment projects are located. After this social facility is transferred to the municipality or the region, these investors will receive compensation in the form of tax rebates, concessions and other privileges. I am asking the Government to outline the parameters of this mechanism.

I want to stress that the experience of the Far East will serve as the basis for scaling up this master plan practice. As stated in the Address to the Federal Assembly, by 2030, these strategic documents will be developed for 200 Russian cities and towns. We will be scaling up this effort, from 22 areas in the Far East today to 200 areas nationwide, including the backbone cities that contribute to strengthening Russia’s technological sovereignty.

To continue: A comfortable urban environment and large-scale social infrastructure are essential components of modern residential developments. Far Eastern investors involved in implementing these projects are entitled to benefits envisaged for priority development areas under the Far Eastern Quarter mechanism, which is currently being applied in pilot mode in seven regions. It is planned to build 1,800,000 square metres of housing for almost 70,000 people with its help.

Generally, let me note that the amount of housing built in the Russian Far East every year for the past five years has grown by about 100 percent. This is a good indicator. It is expected that 5,600,000 square metres of housing will be completed by the end of this year.

An important and indeed decisive role in this sense has been played by the Far Eastern mortgage scheme. As you may know, we have extended it to participants in the special military operation. Loans issued at the record low interest rate of two percent are also available to young families, where the parents are under 36 years of age, as well as to recipients of the Far Eastern Hectare, employees of defence plants, teachers, and doctors. The same mortgage plan – on the same terms – is available in the Arctic regions.

We have extended these programmes until the end of 2030. I know that the Government discussed the terms of this mortgage plan for the future. I suggest that we put a full stop here and leave the interest rate for the Far Eastern and Arctic mortgage plans unchanged at two percent per year.

Let me add that since last year, families in the Primorye Territory that have a third child are entitled to a higher sum for mortgage repayment – one million instead of 450,000 rubles, as in the rest of the country.

We have agreed that the same payment of one million rubles should be introduced for families with many children in all Far Eastern regions, where the birth rate is lower than the average for the Federal District. I ask my colleagues to speed up the approval of relevant laws so that this measure enters into effect as of July 1 of this year, that is, retroactively.

I would like to dwell separately on issues that are of great importance for families and our citizens who live far from the “mainland,” so to say. I mean hard to access small towns and villages in the Russian Far East and the Arctic.

Our goal is to ensure regular and uninterrupted supplies for these communities, while also reducing delivery time and costs. Last year, we passed a law governing the supply of essential goods to the northern territories, which enabled us to switch to a centralised approach when planning these deliveries at the federal level, while the regions coordinate the way it is implemented on the ground.

The transport sector views shipping and handling essential goods as an utmost priority. We can issue budget loans for buying and delivering these essentials to the northern regions. There is also an effort to develop the core elements of the transport and logistics network we use for these deliveries, including roads, railway stations, seaports and river ports, and airports.

Starting in 2025, a single sea operator will be tasked with overseeing deliveries to the northern territories. For now, this project will run in pilot mode. This operator will handle cargo shipments in Chukotka. Moving forward, the project will also cover Yakutia, the Kamchatka Territory, as well as the Arkhangelsk Region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Healthcare services for people living in remote communities, cities and villages, are a separate topic. Some settlements in Russia’s Far East can only be accessed by rail. And they lack specialists for offering health check-ups and occupational health assessments, and providing other healthcare services.

A mobile diagnostics centre will start operating across five regions of Russia’s Far East this September, and next year eight more regions will be added to this scheme. This train will be a real outpatient clinic and a pharmacy on wheels with advanced equipment and specialist doctors.

They will be able to carry out a wide range of tests and to seek advice from their colleagues at Russia’s leading research centres, while using AI when drafting medical opinions. Of course, they will offer professional healthcare services, considering that all people in Russia need them regardless of where they live.

In this context, I would like to thank Russian Railways and all the doctors, nurses, railway workers and other specialists who are taking part in this noble undertaking. People really need it. I would like to ask the Government to help this company and ensure that this cutting-edge train-based medical facility and pharmacy does its jobs in an uninterrupted and effective manner.

There is one more thing. We will continue our efforts to develop local air service in order to bring cities and villages in Russia’s Far East closer to one another. As I have already said, we expect annual passenger traffic on domestic flights within the region to reach four million people. I have instructed the Government to approve a plan setting forth specific steps and initiatives to achieve this. It goes without saying that the effort to draft it has been too slow, which means that all the decisions we need in this regard must be taken without delay.

The air fleet is, of course, a major issue. We must build our own planes that are reliable and meet our quality requirements, and they must be produced in sufficient quantities. In this context, I am asking the relevant entities to step up their efforts to develop a passenger version of the Baikal, a light multi-purpose aircraft. It must enter serial production soon. Meanwhile, you must keep in mind that its price and characteristics must be competitive so that the airline tickets when using these planes are affordable for our people. Otherwise, we will have to offer subsidies of some sort.

Friends,

In the past few years, the Far East has gained popularity among young people seeking interesting careers, as well as trained specialists looking to showcase their skills and expertise in various fields.

Over the past eight years, the Far East has experienced a consistent rise in the number of young people between the ages of 20 and 24, thanks to our targeted support measures.

For example, we increased lump-sum payments under the Country Teacher, Country Doctor and Country Paramedic programmes. Today, teachers and doctors who relocate to Far Eastern villages and towns receive two million rubles each, while each nurse and paramedic receives one million rubles. We have already agreed to extend these programmes until 2030 and to maintain the double rate of regional payments for the Far East.

Another decision concerns the Country Culture Worker programme, which aims to support the employees of rural clubs, art centres, libraries, music schools and museums. In effect, these people protect our cultural sovereignty and identity, our traditional values, and educate young people.

I ask the Government to start implementing this programme from January 1, 2025. Of course, we need to stipulate higher regional lump-sum payments for culture workers moving to Far Eastern communities, and we should also involve them in the Far Eastern Mortgage programme.

I would like to add that we will continue to establish new museums in the Far East. As part of this work, I would like to instruct the concerned officials to perpetuate the memory of the Kuril amphibious landing, one of the final battles of World War II. This event symbolises the courage of our officers and soldiers who captured the seemingly impregnable enemy fortifications.

Colleagues,

Dedicated, courageous people with strong spirits where the ones who wrote the history of Russia’s Far East, a huge region that accounts for almost 40 percent of our national territory. They studied and defended this land, preserved and perpetuated the traditions of its indigenous people, added new locations to the map of Russia, built cities, factories, roads and developed mineral deposit sites.

Among our forefathers who developed the Far East there was a sense of devotion to serving their cause and their Fatherland. And the love of their Motherland enabled them to pursue grand and ambitious designs and objectives. Even today, their heroism, self-sacrifice and accomplishments inspire so many of our people, and all these specialists − doctors, teachers, cultural workers, whom I have just mentioned, university faculty members, business owners – everyone working in Russia’s Far East or who plans to dedicate their lives to this region, including officials in regional administrations and municipalities.

Launched in 2022 in this region, the Muravyov-Amursky Programme provides for training public administration officials. We have expanded it to include the Arctic region. It has been quite popular and competitive with up to 80 applications per scholarship. People who are young and ambitious can see that developing the Far East and the Arctic is one of the most interesting and promising objectives for our country. We will make sure to extend this programme at least until 2030.

Let me reiterate that government bodies at all levels, as well as the business community, NGOs and people in general will have to make a meaningful contribution to carrying out new national projects and programmes. Through these efforts, these undertakings will acquire a Far Eastern dimension and will facilitate the development of this region considering its strategic importance for Russia, as well as improve the quality of life there.

Of course, we will expand ties between Russia’s Far East and our country in general with our foreign partners, friends, states and corporate entities, who are interested in promoting steady, lasting and mutually beneficial cooperation. This would enable us to further strengthen Russia’s international standing.

I am certain that together, we will succeed in these endeavours.

Thank you for your attention.

Alexandra Suvorova: Thank you, Mr President.

I will give the floor to our guests a bit later. But first I have a few clarifying questions.

A look at Rosstat figures for 2023 shows that only slightly more than 7.8 million people live in the Far East. The same year, the number of population increased due to migration in three regions – Kamchatka, Yakutia and Chukotka. You also said that the number of young people moving there had increased over the past eight years. Nevertheless, the situation cannot be called stable: as you said, migration inflow increased in 2021, and there was a migration outflow, even though a small one, in 2023.

You pointed out in your address that one of the measures expected to encourage people to stay in the Far East was the master plans we are discussing now.

What else do you think should be done to improve life in the Far East?

I understand that talking about this could take long.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, talking about this could take long. We certainly should do more than we have been doing so far. This is obvious. But at least we can focus on two main aspects.

First, we must start improving conditions now and create interesting and promising jobs. And second, we must make life more comfortable for the people in the region.

But the most important thing is for every person and family to see that it is a long haul, that our planning horizon is long, and that living and working here hold a promise for them and their children. It is important to have prospects, because overall we would like to see more young people moving here, people who are our future and who have ambitious goals. We must create conditions for them to realise their ambitions. This is the main thing.

Alexandra Suvorova: I have another clarifying question. You have sad that the experience of master plans in the Far East will also be applied in other regions. How exactly will this be done?

Vladimir Putin: I have already said that novelty – if we can call it that – consists in combining spatial and economic development. How was the work organised in the Soviet period in both the Russian Far East and Siberia? They built an industrial plant and a shantytown in the vicinity. And that’s all.

Alexandra Suvorova: A backbone enterprise.

Vladimir Putin: Right, this is how it is called up till now. A backbone enterprise! A plant is built and some shanties nearby, where people could live. The BAM, incidentally, was being developed in the same way. Very many enterprises and regions developed that way, too. A plant plus something in the vicinity for people to live in. It was only later, when people began living under these conditions, that [the higher-ups] gave some thought to what could be done additionally to make their life worthy of human beings.

The new approach we are proposing is different in that it is necessary to do both things in parallel. As soon as we start building a facility, we should plan for where and how people will live, what they will do [in their free time], and what should be done in the area of education, culture, and health services. These projects must be implemented right away.

In certain places…I will not even name them now – I wanted to, but, I think, OK, I’ll refrain from doing that because it is certain that far from all has been done the way they wanted to. If I say something now, others will comment: this and that has been left unfinished. This may be so and something has really been left unfinished, but the principle is that you get going right away and in parallel, creating the infrastructure for life and developing production facilities and the economy in the broad sense of the word.

Alexandra Suvorova: Thank you.

And now, as I promised, I give the floor to our guests.

Vladimir Putin: Excuse me, I’ve already said that we are trying to develop 22 populated localities based on this principle. In the next few years, it should be extended to some two hundred populated localities across this country.

Alexandra Suvorova: Thank you.

Now I give the floor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Mr Ibrahim, please come to the podium and we are looking forward to your opening remarks.

Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar bin Ibrahim: (Speaks Russian) Hallo.

Dear President Vladimir Putin,

Vice President of China Han Zheng,

Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to President Vladimir Putin for inviting me to this pre-eminent and momentous forum here in Vladivostok. It is also momentous for me on a personal level because, believe it or not, this is my very first visit to Russia.

More than 50 years ago, when I was still an active youth leader, I flew Aeroflot and transited through Moscow airport on my way to Belgium for the International Youth Conference. We were not allowed to disembark – only to the transit hotel. So I never got the chance to set foot on Russian soil.

And it is a real pleasure to be finally in Vladivostok, where history blends seamlessly with progress, and where the vastness of Russia meets the boundless promise of the Asia-Pacific.

As a crossroads of commerce, this city has been shaped by diverse influences, reflecting a rich heritage of Russian and East Asian traditions, making Vladivostok a concept of cultures. Beyond its economic significance, Vladivostok holds a distinctive place in Russian history as a vital seaport and the eastern terminus of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway. This city truly embodies Russia’s connection with the East.

Here we find a powerful symbol of our gathering – a convergence of geography, ideas, aspirations and futures. Since its inception in 2015, the Eastern Economic Forum has consistently drawn visionaries and leaders from around the world. This is fitting, as Northeast Asia, which includes the Russian Far East, is a region of vibrant economic dynamism and immense potential. Indeed, it contributes about a fifth of the world’s GDP. I would therefore like to thank President Putin for his vision and leadership in establishing this forum, which continues to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Russia is not just a strategic and economic reality that commands attention. Indeed, as a cultural, intellectual and scientific force, Russia’s prominence on the global stage transcends the confines of commerce and geopolitics, reaching deep into the very fabric of human history and thought. Russia’s pre-eminence stems not from military might or economic leverage, crucial as that may be, but from the enduring power of ideas, the beauty of artistic expression and an unwavering pursuit of knowledge. These achievements form the bedrock of the remarkable soft power earning Russia a place of global respect and admiration, influencing the hearts and minds of peoples around the world.

For me personally, this influence is most powerfully felt in literature. I say this with an honest conviction because having drunk deeply from the wellsprings of English and Malay literature in my early education, and then later having immersed in the works of Dante, Shakespeare and Milton, I do believe that life would be so much poorer without literature, particularly Russian literature.

In this regard, I can’t sing enough praise for the great Russian authors and poets who have explored the profound complexities of life, unparalleled insight, and whose works have had a lasting impact on my understanding of society and the human condition. For instance, the works of Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy, just to name a few, delve into the moral and philosophical dilemmas that define what it means to be human. While Dostoevsky challenges us to engage with the intricacies of faith, doubt and the human soul, Tolstoy invites us to reflect on the nature of power, responsibility, and the passage of time, transcending the literary significance.

The appreciation of Russian literature manifests the depth of this great nation’s impact on global thought and its capacity to inform our understanding of our own ideas and our roles within the currents of history. Furthermore, the appeal and power of Russian literature extends beyond its philosophical underpinnings. Writers like Chekhov, Pushkin, Pasternak and also my favourite, Anna Akhmatova, have brought to life the joys, sorrows and struggles of everyday existence with the realism that has resonated with me deeply.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In its pivotal role in advancing human knowledge through science and technology, Russia has consistently pushed the boundaries of possibility. From pioneering efforts in space exploration to groundbreaking work in nuclear physics and cybernetics. As you have heard it yourself, the vision and the plan as expounded by the President covers a comprehensive area which is developmental as much as it is human. These contributions reflect a deep-seated commitment to understanding and mastering the natural world, underscoring Russia’s importance in the collective progress of humanity.

We are witnessing a troubling trend of protectionism that threatens to fragment the global economy. The rise of tariffs, trade barriers and restrictions on technological exchange constitute troubling developments. In this regard, the rise of the Global South does not signify merely a shift of economic power, but a reconfiguration of global influence, encompassing countries across Asia. China, India, Africa and Latin America – the Global South is on a trajectory to play a pivotal role in reshaping the future of the world economy.

According to recent estimates, the Global South now accounts for roughly 40 percent of the world’s economic output and is home to about 85 percent of the global population. By 2030, it is projected that three of the four largest economies will be from the Global South. This rise is a reality that presents both challenges and opportunities.

For Malaysia, it is essential there are strong ties to share the growth and to contribute to a more balanced global order. Like Russia, we see the potential of these developing economies and we are committed to fostering partnerships that can drive mutual prosperity. In this vein, Malaysia is actively pursuing opportunities within the Global South and joining fellow nations that seek to create a new paradigm of development, one that is more inclusive, equitable, sustainable and resilient.

In a world of increasing complexity, our future prosperity depends on our ability to adapt, innovate, and build relationships that cut across traditional boundaries. The Global South is rising, and Malaysia intends to rise with it.

Being an open economy, Malaysia prides itself on doing business with the entire world and we have benefited greatly from being a vital node in globalised supply chains. Central to this effort is the MADANI Economy Framework, which has implemented structural reform initiatives to trailblaze a more sustainable, inclusive future path for our nation.

In Malaysia-Russia bilateral relations, one area ripe for collaboration includes Islamic finance, where Malaysia is regarded as a global leader, boasting a robust ecosystem of institutions that not only adhere to sharing our principles but also drive innovation in financial investments. Russia, with its sizable Muslim population, stands at a threshold of enormous potential in Islamic finance. I believe that the introduction of Islamic banking in Russia can facilitate joint projects and attract significant investments from Muslim majority nations.

In agriculture, Russia has made remarkable strides, becoming a significant global player in this sector. As one of the world’s largest grain producers and exporters, Russia plays a crucial role in ensuring global food security. Russia’s agricultural exports have been instrumental in stabilising global markets amid ongoing supply chain disruptions.

Turning to education and research, Russia has a long-standing reputation for excellence, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Russian universities have consistently ranked among the best globally, producing world-class scientists, engineers and researchers. The recent establishment of the Russian-Malaysian High Tech Centre in Malaysia underscores our commitment to fostering technological innovation and academic excellence.

In facilitating cooperation in developing high-tech solutions, particularly in energy efficiency, data transmission and smart city technologies, we can harness our collective strength to drive innovation and address the challenges of the 21^st century. Additionally, the striving for cutting-edge advancements such as AI and semiconductor technologies should be guided by humanistic and altruistic values to ensure that tech rivalry and inequity do not result in hindrances to free trade in a more fragmented geopolitical landscape.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As the upcoming ASEAN Chair, Malaysia will not only focus on strengthening existing ASEAN mechanisms and institutions, but also find synergies with other regions and key dialogue partners to foster development and prosperity. In forging ahead with this approach, our utmost priority will be the need to reinforce the paramount principles of ASEAN centrality, which constitutes the linchpin for consensus building that in turn binds member states in cohesive action.

We will intensify our engagement with other subregions and leverage ties with our strategic partners, including Russia. In light of this, in applying to join BRICS, Malaysia aims to diversify our economic diplomacy efforts and enhance collaboration. I would like to take a moment to express my profound thanks and gratitude to President Putin for his gracious invitation for me to attend the forthcoming BRICS summit in Kazan in October.

We are entering an era marked by intense superpower rivalry, significant global economic upheavals, as well as trade and technology as tools to consolidate power bases against the growing existential threat of climate change. Together, we should continue to cooperate, speak in a unified voice and exchange ideas, strategy and best policy practices, to build a future of even greater peace and prosperity in Asia and the world.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

As we chart the path forward together, let us remember that the true strength of our partnership lies not only in the agreements we sign or the projects that we jointly undertake, but in the shared vision and mutual respect that bind our nations.

(In Russian) Thank you very much.

When we are part of the globalised world, we believe in continuing our trade relationship with all. We have traditionally, cumulatively very strong investment and trade with the United States and Europe. We are building a greater collaboration with China, by forging stronger bonds. China remains one of our major, key partners.

Russia has traditionally been a good country with which we work well diplomatically, but as I said to President Putin last night, there are vast opportunities in Russia considering its resilience, its capacity to expand in all sectors.

Now, being in BRICS would allow us to benefit and share. Malaysia is now a hub for semiconductors in the region. There are some fields that we can share, but there are a lot of other areas, and I think the Global South network of BRICS will give us an opportunity to leverage, to ensure that there are fair trade practices, that the international financial infrastructure is not monopolised by one country or one region. Essentially it will be beneficial not only to Malaysia, but I think to the Global South and naturally to the whole world.

(Speaks Russian) Thank you.

Alexandra Suvorova: Mr Ibrahim, first, I would like to congratulate you on coming here at last.

I would very much like to talk about the mysterious Russian soul and philosophy that you touched upon in your speech, but we will have to focus on topical issues, including BRICS, also mentioned by you: Malaysia would like to join the association.

Could you be more specific about the benefits of this decision?

Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim: I met with a number of leading Russian companies yesterday and this morning. As a matter of policy, we do not accept unilateral sanctions, as the Vice President of China mentioned. Of course, we are careful so that we are not seen as confronting any power or economic power, in particular.

So, we focus on economic zones in the country, and as for the Russian companies, I have told them that we are an independent country, and we want to be engaging with Russia more effectively. I was delighted that many of them are coming. When I asked them, “When are you coming or what are you planning?” Some were saying, “We will go next week.” And a group will come in October.

So, there is interesting progress and interest. Of course, we are fortunate because our relations with China are currently stable. In the last quarter, we had growth of 5.9 percent, with inflation of 2 percent, and with huge investment also from the United States, particularly, in the digital and energy sectors, and from Germany, in particular.

So, I think we will do whatever is necessary. You know, we can learn from the comprehensive plan package that President Putin mentioned. And there is enormous potential. Russians should not in any way feel that we are influenced by others’ prejudice.

There is this potential and this special relationship that Malaysia wants to offer to Russia as a friend of ours.

Alexandra Suvorova: Mr President, speaking about the BRICS summit, due to take place in Kazan already in late October, what are you expecting from the summit that will involve new BRICS members?

I’d like to remind you that in late 2023, Russia’s trade with BRICS partners reached $294 billion. Regarding trade, what do you think about its future development, and how do you evaluate the current pace of settlements in national currencies? Has de-dollarisation become a well-established trend, or is this a timeserving consideration? What do you think?

Vladimir Putin: First of all, I would like to say that we are not conducting a policy of de-dollarisation. We did not renounce settlements in dollars; they denied us such settlements, and we were simply forced to look for other options; this is it. However, this is not most important.

The most important thing is that the currency of any country reflects its economic might. The larger the economy, the more partners it has. Consequently, the national currency of any particular country becomes more popular during settlements. Naturally, when there are many partners, any economy wants to use the currency of this country. This is why the use of any country’s currency depends on the role of this country’s economy in the global economy.

Naturally, after World War II, the United States, successfully took advantage of the war’s economic results, implemented the Marshall Plan for Europe and established one single financial system, the Bretton Woods system. Later, it made slight adjustments to this system and set up another one. It established the dollar as the common global currency. I want to repeat, this depended and still depends on the country’s economic might.

As Mr Prime Minister has just said, the global economic situation is changing. The countries of the Global South, as well as the BRICS countries, account for over 50 percent and about one-third of the global GDP, respectively. I would like to emphasise that priorities in using certain currencies are also changing naturally.

For example, as much as almost 65 percent of transactions we carry out with our BRICS partners are denominated in our respective national currencies. This is a natural process. However, the financial and political authorities in the United States have facilitated this process by acting in this unscrupulous, unprofessional manner.

I think that they have already understood their mistake but feel that it would be too late for them to change course. It seems that they believe that recognising their mistake would be somehow inappropriate for them, let alone changing the way they act. After all, they can see that the tools they use are ineffective. We simply switch to our national currencies. But it is too late for them to back out. It could be that only people who will replace the current generation of politicians will be able to do something about it. In fact, changing something amounts to recognising your mistakes. This could be a challenge for them.

Why are they acting this way? They probably expected everything to crumble here. This is why they made it impossible for us to use the US dollar. But we are dealing with objective trends, and they are simply pushing them forward, while at its core it is the economic growth that defines the effort to rely on other currencies.

We all know very well that today, China is the world’s number one economy by purchasing power parity. Of course, the US has a powerful and robust economy with its own unique structure, but the People’s Republic of China has a bigger economy. The United States is the world’s second largest economy. And the gap between the two is growing by the year. This is why the yuan has been used in international transactions. The United States ranks second, and India is the world’s third largest economy. Russia is the fourth economy of the world by purchasing power parity. We got ahead of Europe’s economic powerhouse, Germany, and left Japan behind not that long ago. These are not our projections – they come from international experts.

Let me reiterate that Japan, Germany and the United States have a lot of advantages, primarily in terms of the way their economies are structured, as well as their high technology and so forth, but the size of their economies also matters, since it creates opportunities for investing in the most promising sectors and undertakings.

Therefore, let me reiterate that this is a natural process that has nothing to do with momentary political considerations. Still, the authorities in Europe and the United States have simply accelerated these processes by acting in this unscrupulous and unprofessional manner.

As for our relations with BRICS countries, we are developing them and have been quite successful in these efforts. Russia, China and India are the so-called founding fathers of this association. We were the ones who launched this process back in 2005 by forming RIC – a platform for Russia, India and China. Brazil joined us down the road, followed by South Africa. We have recently expanded this framework to include new participants.

This is also a positive process. In fact, more than 30 countries around the world have expressed their readiness to work with BRICS, and some of them want to be part of this association. The new BRICS countries are self-sufficient emerging economies with their own unique culture. These are very interesting countries. There is no doubt that they will have a positive impact in terms of developing this organisation.

Alexandra Suvorova: Thank you, Mr President.

I will now turn to Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng, who represents another BRICS country. You have the floor.

Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng (retranslated): Good afternoon, President Putin, Prime Minister Anwar,

Forum participants, ladies and gentlemen, friends.

I am happy to be with you at the 9th Eastern Economic Forum.

First of all, I would like to convey best regards from President Xi Jinping and the Government of China on the beginning of the forum.

Vladivostok is a window of cooperation with our partners in the Far East. It was at President Putin’s initiative that Vladivostok hosted the first Eastern Economic Forum in 2015. Thanks to its consistent development, it has become an important venue for finding consensus and solutions to development issues.

Its theme this year is Far East 2030. Combining Strengths to Create New Potential, which reflects the current situation and requirements of regional countries. Our shared goal is to promote cooperation and build up mutual trust to the benefit of all.

The Chinese-Russian relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction are growing sustainably in the new age under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin. This year, our heads of state met in Beijing and Astana, where they set out the plans and parameters of the further development of our bilateral relations and multifaceted cooperation, with the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic relations as a new reference point.

Out two countries have joined efforts to overcame all difficulties in this volatile international situation. We are moving steadfastly on our own path and tackling our problems in order to bring practical benefits to our people and to contribute to the revival and growth of the global economy.

Northeast China and Russia’s Far East are geographic neighbours with close ties between our people. These regions have mutually complementing advantages in trade, investment, energy and transport connectivity, and so they are natural partners.

China has been the largest trade partner and source of foreign investment in the [Russian] Far East for years. Trade between China and the Far East reached $33.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 54 percent.

Currently, China’s Northeast is comprehensively cultivating a new frontier of China’s openness to the outside world, which is in line with Russia’s Far East development strategy. The leaders of our two countries attach great importance to cooperation between China’s Northeast and the Russian Far East, and pay personal attention to it.

Given this, we should note the 8^th China-Russia EXPO, which was successfully held in Harbin in May. President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to it, and President Putin personally attended it, which served as a strategic guide for bilateral cooperation. The connectivity between the development of these regions and expanding their cooperation is very timely and promising.

We are ready to follow the important agreements at the highest level together with the Russian side, to strengthen interconnectivity at an accelerated pace, both in terms of cross-border infrastructure and harmonisation of the rules and standards, to increase the scale and quality of cooperation, to strengthen the foundation for long-term sustainable development of China-Russia relations in the new era, and to make our contribution to the prosperity and stability of the region and the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

Against the background of tremendous changes in the international environment unseen in the past century, aspirations for peace, development, cooperation and win-win remain an unstoppable trend. The concept of the Community of Common Destiny for Mankind – the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilisation Initiative launched by President Xi Jinping, represent China’s solution to global governance, bring confidence to the world and give impetus to collective efforts to confront challenges and achieve common development.

We stand ready with the countries of the region to consolidate efforts, strengthen cohesion and cooperation, and jointly promote peace, stability, prosperity and development of the entire region. In this regard, I would like to propose the following.

First, it is necessary to adhere to the principles of openness and inclusiveness, which are the leitmotif of the modern world. Cooperation in the spirit of openness is the trend of the era. China unswervingly pursues the strategy of openness with a focus on mutual benefit and win-win, promotes development of an open world economy, opposes protectionism and attempts to disrupt and break chains. It stands against unilateral sanctions and increased pressure. We are ready to build up and enhance cohesion with the countries of the region based on the principles of openness, justice and mutual respect and seek joint development.

Second, we should promote mutually beneficial cooperation. It is a major development driver in the region. The unique resources and high complementarity of Northeast Asian economies are the foundation for broad cooperation prospects. We should actively search for new points of the convergence of interests, highlighting our advantages, acting jointly to protect our stable and smoothly operating value chains, and strengthening our interaction in the new sectors such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy and green economy to the benefit of the cooperative development of regional countries.

Third, we should ensure comprehensive development and security. Security is an earnest of development, and development is a guarantee of security. China is firmly committed to worldwide peace, is stimulating global development and is resolutely opposing hegemonism and all manifestations of the position-of-strength policy, the Cold War mentality, interference in the internal affairs of other countries and double standards.

Ensuring peace and stability, which have been maintained in Northeast Asia by and large, is anything but simple. We are ready to join efforts with all parties to stimulate dialogue and exchanges and to build up mutual understanding for protecting regional security in the long term.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

During the recent third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, we set forth an ambitious plan for the comprehensive deepening of reforms and promoting China’s modernisation. Our modernisation is proceeding on the path of peaceful development and is benefitting the entire world. China will continue to promote high-quality development and high-level openness, offering new possibilities for the region and the world through the example of its development.

We are ready to join efforts with our partners to promote global modernisation, are focused on peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation and global wellbeing, and we are ready to contribute to the modernisation of our region and the world as a whole.

In conclusion I would like to wish fruitful work to the forum participants.

Thank you.

Alexandra Suvorova: We are grateful to Vice President of China Han Zheng for his address.

Mr President, I, of course, cannot overlook the current topical news agenda, and quite often, it does not concern the Far East and our expanding collaboration with the Asia Pacific region. For over a month, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been hitting border territories of the Russian Federation, and several Russian regions are under attack.

What do you think about the overall situation in the special military operation zone on various fronts, as well as in border regions? How grave is the nuclear threat now that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are also attacking the Kursk and Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plants?

Vladimir Putin: When we talk about these issues, we should, first of all, think about the people who are certainly experiencing serious ordeals and suffering from these terrorist attacks. It is the sacred duty of the Armed Forces to do everything possible for expelling the enemy from these territories and reliably protecting our citizens. Of course, the entire country should do its best to support the people.

Regarding the military aspect of the matter, I have already said that the enemy wanted to make us nervous, to start rushing around, to redeploy troops from one sector to another and to stop our offensive in key sectors, primarily Donbass. The liberation of Donbass is our high-priority goal. Did the enemy succeed? No, it accomplished nothing.

First, our Armed Forces stabilised the situation and started gradually pushing the enemy from border territories. Second, nothing hampers our offensive, and this is the most important thing. On the contrary, by redeploying its sufficiently large and well-trained units to border areas, the enemy weakened its positions in key sectors, and our troops expedited their offensive operations.

We have not made such impressive territorial gains for a long time. The day before yesterday, the Vostok group seized a triangle measuring seven by five kilometres during one strike. The Centre group is operating very successfully in the Donetsk and Pokrovsk sectors. We are gaining several square kilometres, rather than several hundred metres, there – four by five, three by five kilometres, etc. This is the second thing.

And last but not least, the enemy has been sustaining enormous losses in personnel and equipment. I will not list everything now. The Russian Defence Ministry provides this data, and I consider it objective as it can be confirmed by several sources. On the one hand, there is a risk of crushing the most crucial sectors of the front as the losses may lead to the entire armed forces losing combat capacity. This is exactly what we are trying to achieve.

This is my overall assessment. As to what is happening daily, naturally, the General Headquarters and the Defence Ministry report to me several times per day every day.

Alexandra Suvorova: You have already noted that people are the most important asset – both people living on those territories and people defending them.

Yesterday, here in Vladivostok, you visited the home station…

Vladimir Putin: I am sorry, I missed one thing. You also mentioned the attacks on a nuclear power plant.

Alexandra Suvorova: Yes, the Kursk and Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plants.

Vladimir Putin: Those were very serious terrorist attacks. One can only imagine what will happen if we give a commensurate response, what will happen to this part of Europe.

Alexandra Suvorova: Speaking about the events yesterday, you visited the home station of the Primorye Flotilla in Vladivostok and said that recently, you had spoken on the phone with the Commander of the 155^th Marine Brigade whose servicemen are currently serving in the zone of the special military operation. When you had asked the Commander about any everyday issues, he had said there were none. But yesterday, when you spoke to his superior, issues were actually raised – in particular, problems with housing.

How often do you see similar inconsistencies?

Vladimir Putin: It was not an inconsistency. There are actual problems there… Problems always exist, but the Commander of the 155^th Marine Brigade did not raise them because in Snegovaya Pad, a place he had chosen himself for future personnel housing, the construction is underway and local officials are helping. But, of course, it is important to fulfill these plans in due time, and I am sure that they will be.

Some other commanders pointed out actual pressing problems that need to be solved as soon as possible. I also spoke to the Commander of the 810^th Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet. They also need housing to be built for the military personnel serving in the border zone right now. Their operations are very successful. These guys are simply heroes.

To be continued.