A regional policy-dialogue conference of the Valdai Discussion Club will be held in Singapore on December 13-14, 2016. The topic - "New Institutions for Growth in Asia and Eurasia: What Mission for Russia?" - is closely linked with Russia’s turn to the East.
Programme
Monday, December 12
19:00-21:00
Welcome reception and dinner by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Opening remarks:
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BYSTRITSKIY Andrey, Chairman of the Board, Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club
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MAHBUBANI Kishore, Dean and Professor in the Practice of Public Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Keynote speech:
- VOLIN Alexey, Deputy Minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation
Tuesday, December 13
09:30-10:00
Registration
10:00-10:05
Opening remarks:
- BYSTRITSKIY Andrey, Chairman of the Board, Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club
10:05-11:30
Session 1. Order and security in Asia and Eurasia: what are the reasons for concern?
The preserved high pace and quality of economic growth in Asia contradict ongoing global political uncertainty. Regional territorial disputes are intense. The tension between China and the US is increasing, many regional actors have little trust in each other. What are the outcomes for regional development? What role could Russia play, not being a party to the conflicts? Can the political situation become an obstacle for economic growth? How will it affect the efficiency of new integration initiatives and agreements?
Panelists:
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CHAN Irene, Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University
- HUANG Jing, Lee Foundation Professor on U.S-China Relations, Director, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS)
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LUKIN Alexander, Director, Center for East Asian and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, Moscow State Institute of International Relations University; Head, Department of International Relations, National Research University – Higher School of Economics
Moderator:
- COLTON Timothy, Morris and Anna Feldberg Professor, Harvard University
11:45-13:00
Session 2. Toward the EAEU-ASEAN free trade area: opportunities and restrictions
The EAEU-ASEAN free trade area is an ambitious and promising initiative. However, its exact content has yet to be defined. What are the maximum tax exemptions allowed by the free trade area regime? What regulatory base should be a matter of priority? What can the EAEU-ASEAN free trade area adopt from other regional agreements? What is the optimal pace for the transition to the free trade area? How does the free trade area match other regional initiatives?
Panelists:
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AFONTSEV Sergey, Director of the Economics Department, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO); Professor, MGIMO University; Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
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CHEN Kang, Professor and Director of Master in Public Administration and Management programme (MPAM) and Chinese Executive Education Programmes, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS)
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LEE Jae-Joung, Vice President, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)
Moderator:
- LARIN Viktor, Director, Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnology of the Peoples of the Far East, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok; Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
14:00-15:15
Session 3. The potential of Eurasian comprehensive partnership
The Eurasian comprehensive partnership was proposed by the President of Russia in June 2016 and had a positive response among major regional partners. But the way to implement his directive has not still been created. Will it be a comprehensive integration or merely a platform for various integration initiatives to intersect? How does Russia view the Eurasian comprehensive partnership and what can it offer its regional partners on conceptual and project levels? What is the role of regional development institutions (the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Eurasian Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank) in the formation of the partnership?
Panelists:
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FENG Shaolei, Director of Centre for Russian Studies, Director of Centre for Co-development with Neighboring Countries, East China Normal University
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GALUZIN Mikhail, Russia’s Permanent Representative to ASEAN, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Indonesia
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LIN Yuexin Rachel, Postdoctoral Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS)
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SUMSKY Victor, Director of the ASEAN Centre, Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University)
Moderator:
- BORDACHEV Timofey, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club; Director, Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University - Higher School of Economics
15:30-16:45
Session 4. Russia’s exports potential and enhancing economic ties with Asian countries
Strengthening the “turn to the East” requires Russia’s more active participation in the regional trade and the division of labor. What can Russia offer to the regional market? Which industries should Asian investors choose? What is the potential for cooperation in the energy industry? Are there any opportunities to bolster financial and technological cooperation? What is the potential for the development of Trans-Eurasian transportation and logistics systems and the Northern Sea Route? What can Russia and Eurasia’s growth bring to the region?
Panelists:
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AIDA Moriyuki, Executive Officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
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KIKUCHI Tomoo, Senior Research Fellow, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (NUS); Guest Research Fellow, Global Security Research Institute, Keio University
Moderator:
- HERNANDEZ Carolina, Founding President and Vice Chair, the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS Philippines); Professor Emeritus in Political Science, University of the Philippines (Diliman)
17:00-19:00
SPECIAL SESSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RUSSIAN VENTURE COMPANY (RVC)
New Russian technologies and Asian markets: cooperation prospects
The subject of technological cooperation and joint development of innovations plays a pivotal role in the context of Russia's turn to the East. The goal of Russia is to diversify the economy, develop high technologies and partnerships with advanced Asian states. Asia's interest lies in the establishment of a common space of innovations with implication of Russian intellectual resources and formation of a common cooperation space in Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific region.
Harmonization of government-sponsored programmes of technological development across Asia-Pacific will enable regional powers to attain technological leadership on new markets.
Panelists:
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FILIPPOV Kirill, CEO of SPB TV
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KUZNETSOV Evgeny, Acting CEO of RVC OJSC
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MAKAROV Valentin, President of RUSSOFT; Head of Safenet Working group, National Technology Initiative
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SHMULEVICH Mark, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer, Acronis
Moderator:
- LUKYANOV Fyodor, Research Director, Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club
Wednesday, December 14
09:30-11:30
Press breakfast summarizing the results of the conference, exclusive interviews
