Session “Southeast Asia in a globalizing world: challenges and solutions”

On November 20-21, a discussion of the main political and socio-economic trends in Southeast Asia was held as part of the first international conference "Globalization in Contemporary Asia".

On November 20, session “Southeast Asia in a globalizing world: challenges and solutions” gathered the experts from the leading Russian universities and research institutes that study deeply and in detail the states if Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that unites them: HSE University (E. Kanaev, the report is produced and presented in co-authorship with P. Shaternikov, Research Assistant of the Faculty of World Economy and Foreign Affairs, HSE University, and A. Korolev ), Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (E. Koldunova ), Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (A. Borzova, M. Shpakovskaya ), Far Eastern Federal University (V. Denisenko ). Moreover, the reports by international participants were heard and discussed: L. Simbolon, Senior Adviser (Minister Plenipotentiary), Directorate-General for American and European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and Vu Thuy Trang, Director of the Center for Russian and CIS Studies, Institute of European Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. The special significance was given to the event by the participation of E. Astafyeva, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the journal “Southeast Asia: Actual Problems of Development”, the leading Russian intellectual platform of experts on SEA.

During the work of the session, a range of notably urgent and important issues was raised and discussed, among them mention may be made of the following: the direction for ASEN development based on the new context of Sino-American relations (contradictions in the trade issues, Indo-Pacific Region project), the overview of the transformation of ASEAN-centric formats and initiatives of economic regionalism under conditions of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, what can Eurasian Economic Union learn from the experience of Association, and so on. The participants of the conference pointed out the high degree of professionalism and corresponding to its level of discussion.

On November 21 the expert roundtable dedicated to ASEAN was held; there was presented the report “Priorities of Vietnam in the year of its presidency in ASEAN” made by Vu Thuy Trang, Director of the Center for Russian and CIS Studies, Institute of European Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam fell on Association’s “midpoint” from ASEAN Community-2015 to Community-2025, therefore, what the SRV will offer to it in terms of defining the “dozen” of states and its readiness to back it up with the practice of concrete cases will be of great importance for the further evolution of ASEAN. Vu Thuy Trang covered the degree of Vietnamese agenda continuity in comparison with presidency of Thailand in 2019, Vietnam focuses on forced elaboration of South China Sea Code of Conduct instead of 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as well as the possibilities to adapt the experience of Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership to the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership.

After the expert roundtable, the negotiations were held among the heads of the Department of Foreign Regional Studies of HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs with Vu Thuy Trang and E. Astafyeva about the ways to coordinate long-range plans and direction of long-term cooperation between the Department of Foreign Regional Studies, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the journal “Southeast Asia: Actual Problems development”.