The 2018 Russian Regional Investment Climate Index shows that Russia’s Far Eastern regions have produced some impressive results, including an increase in the total number of points across the whole Index which was 1.5 times better the national average, Khabarovsk Territory featuring among the top 20 regions for the first time, and Sakhalin Region appearing among the top three growth regions and demonstrating the most dynamic trajectory of all regions in the federal district. How can collaboration be developed between regional governments, regional departments of federal executive bodies, and business associations in order to keep improving the investment climate in the Far Eastern Federal District? What policy changes are regional leaders planning to make in order to improve the investment climate? In the opinion of entrepreneurs, what positive and negative changes have taken place in the regions of the Russian Far East over the past year? What are the major needs and requirements of business with respect to the regional authorities right now?

Moderator:
Andrey Sharonov — President, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO

Panellists:
Andrei Belousov — Aide to the President of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Ilyukhin — Governor of Kamchatskiy Territory
Oleg Kozhemyako — Governor of Sakhalin Region
Alexander Kozlov — Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Roman Kopin — Governor of Chukotka Autonomous Area
Alexander Levintal — Governor of the Jewish Autonomous Region
Aysen Nikolaev — Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Sergey Nosov — Acting Governor of Magadan Region
Vasily Orlov — Acting Governor of Amur Region
Andrey Tarasenko — Acting Governor of Primorsky Territory
Robert Urazov — Chief Executive Officer, Agency for the Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers (WorldSkills Russia)
Svetlana Chupsheva — Chief Executive Officer, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Vyacheslav Shport — Governor of Khabarovsk Territory

In Russia’s agroindustrial sector, exports are becoming key: as agricultural import substitution programmes reach their targets, the future growth of agricultural production will be secured by satisfying demand in export markets. The most promising markets for global agricultural production are those of the Asia-Pacific region, and of East Asia in particular, the geographical neighbour of a Russian Far East which is rapidly developing its own agricultural production and output of food products. Which agricultural goods in demand in major Asia-Pacific countries is the Russian Far East ready to offer? Which markets have the most potential for the increase of Russian agricultural exports? How can sanitary restrictions be lifted and the regionalization of the Russian Federation’s constituent entities be achieved? What conditions must be created in the Russian Far East for Asia-Pacific investors and trading partners? How can effective sales channels be established in the Asia-Pacific region for products from the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Albert Davleev — President, Agrifood Strategies

Panellists:
Maxim Basov — Chief Executive Officer, Rusagro Group of Companies
Gerard Birkbeck — General Director, Kangrow
Sun Guoqiang — President, Zhongding Dairy Farming Co., Ltd
Mikhail Krylov — General Director, MKR Capital
Sergey Levin — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation
Andrey Slepnev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Export Center
Aleksandr Shenderyuk-Zhidkov — Director, Sodruzhestvo

Front row participants:
Ivan Sleptsov — Rector, Yakut State Agricultural Academy FSBEI HE
Nikolay Kharitonov — Chairman of the Committee for Regional Policy and Issues of the North and Far East, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

The next two Olympic Games are taking place in the Asia-Pacific region: the Summer Games in Tokyo in 2020 and the Winter Games in 2022 in Beijing; the 2018 Winter Games took place in PyeongChang. The influence enjoyed by representatives of Asia-Pacific countries in international sporting organizations has grown significantly in recent years, and Asia-Pacific companies have become leading sponsors of the IOC, FIFA, and the organizing committees of other sporting federations, and are investing in the purchase of top clubs and sporting infrastructure in Europe. Taking these circumstances into account, this session could become a landmark event in the formation of a consolidated position among Asia-Pacific countries in the field of sport, and in the strengthening of Russia’s standing in international sporting organizations.

Moderator:
Alexander Ivlev — Country Managing Partner for CIS, EY

Panellists:
Marius Vizer — President, International Judo Federation (IJF)
Zhongwen Gou — Minister of Sport, General Administration of Sport of China (GASC); President, Chinese Olympic Committee (COC)
Dagvadorj Dolgorsuren — Special Representative of the President of Mongolia for Mongolian-Japanese cooperation; The 68th Yokozuna in History of Sumo
Aleksandr Karelin — Member of the Committee on Energy, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Three-Time Olympic Champion in Greco-Roman Wrestling
Pavel Kolobkov — Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation
Igor Levitin — Aide to the President of the Russian Federation; Deputy Chairman, Presidential Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport
James Macleod — Associate Director of Relations with the Olympic Movement, International Olympic Committee
Stanislav Pozdnyakov — President, Russian Olympic Committee
Yu Chang — Director of Media and Communications, Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Taken as a whole, Asia accounts for more than half of the world’s population and over 30% of global GDP, with economic growth rates in China and the Asia-Pacific region set to rise significantly above the global average within the next 10 years. Analysts forecast that by 2030, three of the world’s five largest economies will be located in Asia, and that, taking population growth in China into account, by the mid-2030s the region will be home to one in two people on the planet. One-sided coverage of global events by leading Western media agencies over recent decades has created a distorted picture of the world, which is increasingly contradicting the real processes at work in global politics and economics. This is most noticeable in Asia, which, in spite of impressive economic growth, still remains in the shadow of the West in information terms, with Western media organizations maintaining a monopoly on the interpretation of the events and processes taking place in the region. The key challenge facing media organizations in Asian countries today is the need to fully and objectively portray the importance of processes taking place in the region, which hold enormous significance for the global agenda, and to help foster global economic, political, and cultural cooperation. What prospects are there for the development of Asian media organizations and for transforming these organizations into influential actors in shaping the global information space? Is it possible to overcome the de facto monopoly currently enjoyed by Western media organizations on the interpretation of events taking place in the region and the world, and what must be done in order to achieve this?

Moderator:
Fyodor Lukyanov — Research Director, Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club; Chief Editor, Russia in Global Affairs Journal

Panellists:
Dmitriy Kiseliev — General Director, International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya
Alexander Malkevich — First Deputy Chairman, Commission of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation on Development of the Information Community, Mass Media and Mass Communications; Project Manager, USA Really
Samir Saran — President, Observer Research Foundation
Vladimir Solovyov — Chairman, Russian Union of Journalists
Shen Haixiong — President, China Media Group

Thanks to the joint measures that have been taken over the past year, the Russian Far East has developed much closer relationships with the Japanese business community, and there is every reason to expect that projects will move to the practical implementation stage in the coming year. In the Far East, 14 investment projects involving Japan are being implemented. On 27 April, during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, an agreement was signed to create a joint Russian–Japanese platform to support Japanese investments in the Russian Far East. The platform is accompanied by eight projects with total investment of more than USD 120 million. What support has the Russian Government provided for the projects that are being implemented? What changes are needed to attract additional investment from Japanese businesses? Will the platform act as a successful tool for attracting Japanese capital to the Far East?

Moderators:
Shigeru Murayama — President, Japan Association for Trade with Russia and the NIS (ROTOBO); Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Alexey Repik — President, Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia)

Panellists:
Teruo Asada — Chair, Japan-Russia Business Cooperation Committee, Keidanren; Chairman of the Board of Directors, Marubeni Corporation
Kirill Dmitriev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)
Masami Iijima — Representative Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mitsui & Co., Ltd
Eiichi Yonekura — Representative Director, Senior Executive Vice President, SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation
Tadashi Maeda — Governor of the Board of Directors, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Alexander Misharin — First Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Russian Railways
Aysen Nikolaev — Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Takao Nishida — Deputy Secretary General, Hokuto Social Medical Corporation
Maxim Oreshkin — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Tatsuya Terazawa — Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan for International Affairs
Sergey Tsivilev — Acting Governor of the Kemerovo Region
Vadim Shvetsov — Chief Executive Officer, Member of the Board of Directors, SOLLERS

Front row participants:
Grigory Berezkin — Chairman of the Board of Directors, ESN Group
Satsuki Katayama — Director of the Special Committee on Reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake, House of Councillors of the National Diet of Japan
Aleksandr Nosov — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board for Investments and Strategic Planning, Russian Highways State Company
Koji Omi — Founder, Chairman, Science and Technology in Society Forum (STS forum)

Exponential technological development across all industries is changing the economy and human relations, blurring distinctions between the real and the virtual. We are making rapid strides toward a world where artificial intelligence, bio- and nanotechnology are just as commonplace as smartphones have been these past 10 years. Keeping up with the pace of changes in a transitional world is a challenge. As is usually the case in times of dramatic transformations, it is the young who prove to be better at adjusting to the new reality, more tech-savvy and successful in their careers. They become “guides” for older people in the new world. The prestige of “digital professions” and the benefits of education are becoming increasingly pronounced year after year. Training is more and more personalized. What is the ideal model of a university that helps to unleash a student’s “digital potential”? Digital skills are universal, and they often replace traditional ones instead of complementing them. Many educational resources and technologies are free of charge. That said, the overabundance of information encourages mosaic thinking and substitutes real education with an illusion of knowledge. How should the educational system adjust to the global digitalization? What skills and knowledge will still be relevant in 10-20 year?

Moderator:
Herman Gref — Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank

Panellists:
Marina Borovskaya — Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
Valeria Zabolotnaya — Managing Director, School 21
Ivan Kolomoyets — Chief Executive Director, Co-Founder, Uchi.ru
Pyotr Polozhevets — Editor-in-Chief, Uchitelskaya Gazeta (Teachers’ Gazette), an Independent Pedagogical Publication
Elvira Shamonova — General Director, Khabarovsk Territorial Education Centre

As technology has developed, experts have increasingly begun to talk about the prospect of digitalization, particularly with regard to the world of finance. Cryptocurrencies, like shares and futures, have already begun to reflect the value of all kinds of business asset. Digitalization means that companies in the Russian Far East can not only reduce their counterparty transaction costs, but also attract major investors into the economy. However, there are currently a number of regulatory and infrastructure-related hurdles impeding the development of new digital technologies and e-commerce. What are the prospects for the digital economy in the real sector of the Far Eastern economy? What should regulation of the tokenized economy look like? How should e-commerce operate? Which major companies and corporations are already introducing new technologies into their production cycles? What is an ICO? What impact might ICOs have on economic development?

Moderator:
Tatiana Remezova — Anchor, Vesti News Show, All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company

Panellists:
Anatoliy Bobrakov — Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Affairs, Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund
Andrey Bugrov — Senior Vice President, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors, MMC Norilsk Nickel; Vice President, Interros Holding Company CJSC
Sergei Glazyev — Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation
Sergey Zhigarev — Chairman, State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development, and Entrepreneurship
Stanislav Kuznetsov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Sergey Mytenkov — Vice President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)
Elina Sidorenko — Leader of the Work Group for the Assessment of Risks Associated with Cryptocurrencies, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Cossar Sohail — Executive Operation Director, Bitlish Ltd.
Dmitry Ufaev — Chief Executive Officer, Bitfury Russia
Julia Charlton — Partner, Solicitor, Charltons
Alexey Shevtsov — Managing Director, Head of Blockchain Technology Development, State Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)

Front row participants:
Nikolai Legkodimov — Director, KPMG in Russia and the CIS
Aleksey Mostovshchikov — Co-chairman of Magadan Regional Division, Delovaya Rossiya (Business Russia)

As protectionist sentiments are on the rise and trade conflicts escalating, countries in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond are still trying to adhere to the principles of joint economic development through economic integration. The slowing rate of growth in the number of concluded agreements in recent years can be explained by a number of factors: there is a shift to better quality integration processes; existing agreements are being expanded to cover new areas; and agreements are being concluded with a greater number of participants in a bid to align and improve the rules of the game. A number of events have confirmed this trend: the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which was based on the Trans-Pacific Partnership project; the completion of negotiations on the agreement to create a free trade area (FTA) between the EU and Japan; and the launch of negotiations between the EU and Australia as well as New Zealand. The rules and agreements formulated within the framework of the new generation of agreements are aimed primarily at eliminating non-tariff barriers to trade and harmonizing countries’ internal regulations. But will the new agreements create conditions for the formation of truly open markets, or are they no more than smoke and mirrors that do nothing to change the political statements and unfolding trade wars affecting the largest markets? Will the trend to establish new FTAs be able to hold its own against countervailing tendencies that seek to undermine trade and the emergence of new trade flows looking for sales markets to substitute for lost ones? How serious are these trends? And what line of conduct should the Eurasian Economic Union pursue: enhance an open trade policy to counter protectionism or, on the contrary, close sensitive markets to prevent them from being flooded with overproduced global goods?

Moderator:
Tigran Sargsyan — Chairman of the Board, Eurasian Economic Commission

Panellists:
Alexander Daniltsev — Director, Institute for Trade Policy, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Veronika Nikishina — Member of the Board, Minister in Charge of Trade, Eurasian Economic Commission
Andrey Slepnev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Export Center
Antonio Fallico — President, Conoscere Eurasia Association; Chairman, Board of Directors, Banca Intesa
Jae-Young Lee — President, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy
Alexander Shokhin — President, Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP)

The level of old and dilapidated housing in the Russian Far East is very high, accounting for 6% of the total housing stock in 2016, which is more than two-and-a-half times higher than the average for Russia. Public infrastructure in the Far Eastern Federal District is characterized by the fact that utility networks and facilities are in a decrepit state, and there is a lack of capacity to cover even the existing loads, which means that its operation is cost intensive. The proportion of the housing stock that has access to plumbing in the Far Eastern Federal District is 75%, compared with a Russian average of 81.5%. Only 62% of the housing stock in the macroregion is served by a hot water supply system, whereas the average Russian rate is 68%. Changing the situation will require a national project that includes special measures for the accelerated development of the macroregion and the necessary funding, including in such areas as special mortgage products, provision of housing for young families, remediation of dilapidated housing, and elimination of the period that citizens who are leaving the regions of the Far North and other equivalent localities must wait to receive housing subsidies. What measures should be taken as part of the national project? How can the Russian Far East be brought up to the same level as the rest of the country? How much money will be needed?

Moderator:
Vasily Savin — Partner, Head of Power and Utilities, KPMG in Russia and the CIS

Panellists:
Dmitriy Berdnikov — Mayor of Irkutsk City
Alex de Valukhoff — General Director, Aggreko Eurasia
Alexey Muratov — Partner, KB Strelka
Alexander Plutnik — Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, DOM.RF
Igor Shuvalov — Chairman, State Corporation "Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)"
Vladimir Yakushev — Minister of Construction, Housing, and Utilities of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Andrey Levykin — Director of Far East Branch, MegaFon
Aleksey Struchkov — First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Sakha(Yakutia)
Dmitriy Tetenkin — Adviser to the Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Hideyuki Yamada — Senior Consultant, Nomura Research Institute Ltd.

The Asia-Pacific region already has the fastest growing economy in the world. The same trend is emerging in the energy sector: the majority of growth in demand for both oil and gas between now and 2035 is set to come from China and India. The competitiveness of mineral extraction and, most importantly, the availability of infrastructure are key to ensuring stable and reliable supply to this promising region. Russia has huge potential thanks to its geographic location and wealth of natural resources. What are the prospects and challenges facing us as a result of rapid technological development, a new wave of protectionism, and the shift of economic centres to the Asia-Pacific region?

Moderator:
Keir Simmons — Correspondent, NBC News

Panellists:
Yinbiao Shu — Chairman, State Grid Corporation of China
Alexander Medvedev — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, Gazprom
Alexander Novak — Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation
Lev Feodosyev — First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, NOVATEK
Sergey Frank — President, Chief Executive Officer, PAO Sovcomflot
Tetsuhiro Hosono — Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation

The introduction of digital technologies in international transport corridors gives the Far East, and Russia as a whole, a leading position as a major transit artery between Asia and Europe. The creation of a single, trusted space in Greater Eurasia, the digitalization of border crossings, the introduction of unmanned, autonomous infrastructure, and the development of multimodal transport including the ability to book shipments through a ‘single window’ with full electronic document management will provide a breakthrough for increased global trade and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Which existing IT solutions can become a foundation for establishing a new standard of digital international corridors? When will it be possible to pilot such a standard in the Primorye-2 corridor (Changchun – Jilin – Hunchun – Zarubino Port – sea routes)? How can the development of infrastructure for international transport corridors be coordinated while taking account of the interests of all countries in the region? How can IT market leaders and investment from the Asia-Pacific region be attracted to global logistics projects in the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Evgeniy Ditrikh — Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Maxim Akimov — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Rashid Alimov — Secretary General, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
Oleg Belozerov — Chief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Board, Russian Railways
Anton Zamkov — General Director, RT-Invest Transport Systems LLC; Representative, Digital Transport and Logistics Association
Sergei Ivanov — Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport
Timur Maksimov — Deputy Head, Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation
Viktor Parakhin — Deputy General Director, ZaschitaInfoTrans of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation FSUE
Suresh Prabhu — Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India
Bayin Chaolu — First Secretary, Jilin Provincial Committee (People’s Republic of China), Communist Party of China
Sergey Chemarda — Board Member, DP World Russia
Qingwei Zhang — First Secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee (People’s Republic of China), Communist Party of China

Front row participants:
Alexandrs Isurins — Chairman of the Executive Board, President, Far Eastern Shipping Company (FESCO)
Dmitry Mezentsev — Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation Committee on Economic Policy
Dmitry Pronchatov — Deputy Head, Federal Road Agency
Roman Sklyar — First Vice Minister for Investments and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Vsevolod Smakov — Managing Director - Head of Directorate for Industry, Eurasian Development Bank (EDB)
Zhu Xian — Vice President, Chief Operations Officer, New Development Bank
Moisei Furshchik — Academic Advisor, Academic and Consulting Center ''Logistics and Supply Chain Management", Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

During the 3rd Eastern Economic Forum in 2017, entrepreneurs from the Russian Far East asked hard-hitting questions about the protection of their rights in disputes with regulatory bodies. The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia and the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East have set up a working group on protecting investors’ rights, which has identified numerous violations in the work of customs, tax, and veterinary authorities in the region. Following these investigations, systemic solutions have been adopted. ‘Anti-rankings’ of regulatory bodies with respect to investors in the Russian Far East: what responsibility should these bear? What is the working group on protecting investors’ rights planning to focus on going forward? What innovations are regulatory bodies in the Russian Far East planning to introduce?

Moderator:
Alexey Bobrovsky — Head of the Economic Programme, Russia 24 TV Channel

Panellists:
Olga Epifanova — Deputy Chair, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Alexander Kozlov — Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
David John Ogilvie Cruickshank — Chairman, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
Kliment Rusakomsky — Managing Partner, Founder, Law Group PARADIGMA
Boris Titov — Presidential Commissioner of the Russian Federation for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights
Yury Chayka — Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation

It has already been two years since the first residents of the Far East received land under the Far Eastern Hectare programme, and over the last 18 months, it has been rolled out on a national level. The programme provides a simplified procedure for obtaining a plot of land in comparison with the typical process. The main advantage of the programme is that it makes it easier to acquire land. The success of the programme points to a further need to develop the ways in which land plots are used, including in ways that foster entrepreneurship. What are the success stories of the Far Eastern Hectare programme? How should the programme be developed in the future? What factors limit the development of the programme? What support measures should be considered?

Moderator:
Irina Lutskovskaya — Special Correspondent, GTRK Dalnevostochnaya

Panellists:
Marina Dedyushko — Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Roman Kapinos — Deputy Chairman of the Board, SME Bank
Alexey Uspenskiy — Minister of Economic Development of the Sakhalin Region
Sergei Khovrat — General Director, Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far Eastern Federal District
Yury Chayka — First Deputy Chair of the Government of Khabarovsk Territory for Investment and Priority Projects

Modern biotechnologies, including synthetic biology and genome editing, are currently some of the most promising growth areas in science and the economy. In many countries of the world, including the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, bioengineering projects are receiving support from national governments. Genetic engineering has opened the door to effective tools for the reproduction of natural organisms and the creation of ‘synthetic’ biological material that has never before been seen in nature. There are more than 100 large laboratories around the world working in this field and tens of billions of US dollars have been invested. The last 10 years have witnessed the rapid growth of publications and patent applications in Europe, the United States, India, and China. Developments in genetic engineering are beneficial for health. They are especially important in the fight against infections and the development of vaccines, and they also have important applications in agriculture, industry, and other sectors of the economy. At the same time, biotechnologies are becoming more accessible, allowing a wide range of researchers to conduct experiments more or less at home, including those involving the pathogens of dangerous infectious diseases. Thus, although synthetic biology offers benefits in terms of economic, scientific, and technological development, the field also poses potential risks associated with threats to the human body and the environment that are not fully understood. These risks are extremely high, and the possible consequences that they entail are comparable to nuclear radiation in terms of scale. Coordinated actions by the government as well as by scientific and business communities are required to prevent any possible threats from manifesting themselves. What future will achievements in biotechnology bring about? Does research in the field of synthetic biology need to be regulated at the national and international levels? How can we prevent the negative impacts of biotechnology? Who bears responsibility for research outcomes: the scientist, customer, or state? How can we forge partnerships between regional governments in this area?

Moderator:
Anna Popova — Head, Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing

Panellists:
Dmitry Morozov — General Director, BIOCAD
Hong Du Nguyen — Director-General, Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technology Centre
Carlos Tabunda — Director of the ASEAN Studies Center, New Era University; Anchor, Net 25 TV Channel
Mikhail Shchelkanov — Head, Laboratory of Microorganism Ecology with the International Research and Educational Centre of Molecular Technologies, School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU); Head, Laboratory of Virology, Federal Scientific Centre of East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity of Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences

Technology, business, and innovation are not only driving the development of the 21st-century economy, they are also strengthening the role of women as leaders in contemporary society. Despite women’s potential when it comes to opening up new markets and launching innovative products, their level of economic and digital participation in the Asia-Pacific region remains insufficient. This lack of full participation by women in the digital economy can be attributed to a low awareness of investment opportunities in innovative markets corresponding to their interests, and a shortage of gender-specific approaches to doing business. If the current gender disparity in the field of digital technology can be overcome, we can create the conditions in which quality of life can be improved for women, men, and society as a whole. How can the contribution of women to strengthening national and global economic, social, political, and cultural potential be assessed? What innovative products are created by women or for women? How are innovative online training platforms to support women’s entrepreneurship being promoted? How is women’s role in the digital age changing? What tools exist to improve women's access to advanced technologies?

Moderator:
Victoria Panova — Vice-Rector for International Relations, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)

Panellists:
Marina Zhunich — Director for Government Relations, Google LLC
Irina Makieva — Deputy Chair, Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)
Agnessa Osipova — President, Russian Franchise Association (RFA)
Wang Ping — Chairman, China Chamber of Tourism
Ekaterina Rybakova — Co-Founder, President, Rybakov Foundation
Yuliana Slashcheva — Chairman of the Management Board, Creative Production Association Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio FSUE
Natalya Tretyak — First Vice President, Gazprombank
Anna Tsivileva — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Kolmar Group

To promote economic growth in the Russian Far East and attract investment to the macroregion, it is essential to create an objective view of it in foreign countries. With this in mind, establishing a dialogue between young diplomats in the Asia-Pacific region on the sidelines of the Forum takes on particular significance. What joint projects in the digital economy, high technology, and global security are currently of interest to young diplomats in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region? What can be done to establish an objective view of the Russian Far East among foreign investors? Will ‘peer-to-peer diplomacy’ become the basis for developing relations between young diplomats?

Moderator:
Konstantin Kolpakov — Chairman, Council of Young Diplomats Russian Foreign Ministry

Panellist:
Sergey Lavrov — Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Entrepreneurs in the Far Eastern Federal District continue to experience problems associated with a lack of financial resources and high rates of taxation. In order to increase the number of small and medium-sized businesses, it is vital to maintain existing forms of support and to implement new solutions. In this process, special attention should be devoted to those areas which show the greatest potential growth in demand for services provided by SMEs, including exports and tourism. How and with the help of what mechanisms can the national project’s target figures be achieved in the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Andrey Sharov — Vice-President, Head of GR Directorate, Sberbank

Panellists:
Vyacheslav Arutyunyan — Acting Chairman of the Management Board, Orient Express Bank
Konstantin Bogdanenko — Vice-Governor of Primorsky Territory
Dmitry Golovanov — Chairman of the Board, Member of the Supervisory Board, SME Bank JSC
Yasukazu Irino — Executive Vice President, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)
Maxim Oreshkin — Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Vasily Orlov — Acting Governor of Amur Region
Vladimir Rimer — Co-Founder, Safe Roads of the JAR

Front row participants:
Alexander Braverman — General Director – Chairman of the Board, Russian Small and Medium Business Corporation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Ivan Kovtun — President, Russian Association of Rural and Farm Enterprises and Agricultural Cooperatives of Sakhalin Region (AKKOR)
Alexey Nazarov — Partner, Head of Global Strategy Group in Russia, Head of Public Sector, KPMG in Russia and the CIS
Roman Petrutsa — Director, Industrial Development Fund
Ilya Polyakov — Chairman of the Management Board, ROSBANK

Russian–Chinese relations have steadily improved over the past year: the volume of foreign trade between Russia's Far Eastern regions and the People’s Republic of China in 2017 amounted to USD 7.7 billion, 28.3% more than in the same period last year. The export of goods from the Far Eastern Federal District to China increased by 31.5% in 2017. Chinese companies are carrying out more than 40 investment projects in the Russian Far East, eight of which were launched in 2018. However, the full potential of Russian–Chinese trade, as well as economic and investment cooperation, has still not been achieved. Thus, there are still broad opportunities in the areas of infrastructure development, transport and logistics, forestry, tourism, agribusiness, petrochemicals, and aquaculture. What conditions need to be in place to foster trade and economic cooperation and attract Chinese investment? Which support measures and mechanisms might provide additional incentives for investors from China? Which of the regulations that have been adopted have spurred the growth of investment, and what new legislative initiatives are still being developed? What are the funding channels for Russian and Chinese companies that wish to carry out projects in the Russian Far East?

Moderators:
Dmitry Mezentsev — Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation Committee on Economic Policy
Liqun Zhou — President, Union of Chinese Entrepreneurs Elus

Panellists:
Maxim Akimov — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Grigory Berezkin — Chairman of the Board of Directors, ESN Group
Zhu Bixin — Director, President, China Chengtong Holdings Group Ltd
Sun Guoqiang — President, Zhongding Dairy Farming Co., Ltd
Yinbiao Shu — Chairman, State Grid Corporation of China
Mikhail Karisalov — Chairman of the Management Board, Chief Executive Officer, SIBUR
Alexander Kozlov — Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Sergey Kolesnikov — President, TechnoNICOL Corporation
Konstantin Lashkevich — President, RFP Holding
Vadim Moshkovich — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Rusagro
Leonid Petukhov — Chief Executive Officer, Far East Investment and Export Agency
Andrey Starkov — Deputy General Director, JSC Russian Railways
Yaqing Xiao — Chairman, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC)
Zhou Xiaochuan — Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Boao Forum for Asia
Zhang Zongyan — Chief Executive Officer, China Railway Group Limited
Cai Zemin — Managing Director, China Railway Dongfang Group
Lyu Jun — Chairman, COFCO Corporation
Sergey Tsivilev — Acting Governor of the Kemerovo Region
Liu Qitao — Executive Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors, China Communications Construction Company Limited
Bayin Chaolu — First Secretary, Jilin Provincial Committee (People’s Republic of China), Communist Party of China
Alexey Chekunkov — Chief Executive Officer, Far East and Baikal Region Development Fund
Qingwei Zhang — First Secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee (People’s Republic of China), Communist Party of China

A total of more than RUB 4 trillion will be spent on implementation of Russia’s national Ecology project. Of those, RUB 727 billion are expected to come from the federal budget, an additional RUB 81 billion from regional budgets, and RUB 3207 billion from extra-budgetary sources (primarily industrial enterprises). What roles are assigned to the state, regions, and companies regarding implementation of the national project? How and through which mechanisms can the project’s main targets be achieved: creating a safe waste management system, reducing harmful emissions, improving water quality, preserving unique water and forestry resources, developing specially protected natural areas, and preserving biodiversity? What are the priorities of the national project for the Far East? How can a balance between the development of the regional economy and the preservation of a thriving environment be achieved?

Moderator:
Maria Morgun — Chief Editor, Live Planet TV

Panellists:
Kirill Dmitriev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Sergei Ivanov — Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport
Dmitry Kobylkin — Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation
Alexey Likhachev — Chief Executive Officer, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Vyacheslav Solomin — Chief Executive Officer, EN+ GROUP
Vladimir Yakushev — Minister of Construction, Housing, and Utilities of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Sergey Aramilev — General Director, Amur Tiger Centre Autonomous Non-Profit Organization
Yuriy Korotaev — General Director, Duracell Russia
Petr Shpilenok — Director, Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve

Prospects for developing cross-border trade with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region are dependent on the competitive advantages enjoyed by Russian exporters – geographical proximity, long-standing trade links, and the ability to quickly organize international cooperation. Small and medium-sized businesses could play a special role in increasing exports to the Chinese, Mongolian, South Korean, North Korean, and Japanese markets. At the present time, however, the percentage of entrepreneurs from the small and medium-sized segment involved in export activity remains small. A significant increase in exports could be achieved by engaging producers who have previously been focused exclusively on Russia’s domestic market in foreign trade. Important factors in unlocking export potential and increasing trade include effective non-financial support measures and financial services, which entrepreneurs from the SME segment are able to receive in tandem. How can potential SME exporters make effective use of existing means of non-financial support? How can financial risks be reduced and small and medium-sized businesses be helped to take their first steps in Asia-Pacific markets? What opportunities are online international trade portals creating for SMEs, and how can they make effective use of these? What models for cooperation between development institutes and strategically important credit organizations, aimed at creating a comprehensive product to stimulate export activity among small and medium-sized businesses, will be in demand in the SME segment?

Moderator:
Alexey Bobrovsky — Head of the Economic Programme, Russia 24 TV Channel

Panellists:
Dmitriy Bratynenko — Vice-Governor of Primorsky Territory
Sergey Katyrin — President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Ilya Kretov — General Manager Russia and Emerging Europe, eBay Inc.
Anatoly Popov — Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank
Andrey Slepnev — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Export Center

Front row participants:
Anastasia Vasyuk — Development of the Free Port of Vladivostok Sea Tourism Project Manager, o. Russky LLC
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Sergey Lebedev — Director for Government Relations, Alibaba Russia
Sergey Legkiy — Managing Director, Primorsky Confectioner
Christopher Miller — Program Leader, World Bank Russian Federation
Sergey Oskolkov — General Director, Olgales
Roman Sultanov — Director, Customs Portal
Martin Tate — Founder, Tate Agro

International tourism is one of the most promising paths to economic development in the Russian Far East. In 2017, more than 720,000 foreign tourists visited the region. Measures have been undertaken in recent years to create the most attractive conditions possible for tourism in the area, including the development of transport infrastructure in the form of airports in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Khabarovsk, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the creation of new points of attraction and tourist resorts in Khabarovsk Territory, Sakhalin Region, and Kamchatka Territory, and the provision of additional support measures for investors, including an electronic visa for citizens from 18 countries and a 0% corporate tax rate for tourism businesses in the Far East during their first five years of operation, as well as additional programmes aimed at expanding tourism infrastructure and promoting the Russian Far East as a tourist destination. What additional conditions are needed to increase the investment attractiveness of the sector? What tourism and supporting infrastructure facilities need to be built to service inbound tourist flows? What do tourists need in the Russian Far East? How can tourist interest in the region be increased, and how can tourists be encouraged to visit more frequently and for longer? What role should the state play in the development of infrastructure to facilitate this?

Moderator:
Maxim Safonov — Director, Green Capital Alliance; Professor, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)

Panellists:
Olga Golodets — Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Taras Demura — General Director, TUI Russia
Vladimir Dmitriev — Vice President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation
Julia Morozova — General Director, Creative Production
Wang Ping — Chairman, China Chamber of Tourism
Vera Podguzova — Managing Director of External Communications, Russian Export Center
Oleg Safonov — Head, Russian Federal Agency for Tourism
Stylianos Tsifetakis — Executive Officer, G1 Entertainment LLC
Sergey Tyrtsev — First Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Irina Yarovaya — Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Ilya Bogachev — Regional Director on Innovative Projects, Amadeus Russia
Olga Gurevich — Chairwoman, Public Expert Council on the Development of Tourism in the Primorsky Territory
Alexey Kalachev — Chief Executive Officer, Russia Convention Bureau
Timothy Patrick McNally — Chairman of the Board of Directors, NagaCorp Ltd
Ruslan Novikov — General Director, Argumenty I Facty Ltd
Olga Tkacheva — Deputy General Director for Strategic Development and Marketing, Flotiliya

In 2017 Vladivostok hosted negotiations on creating computing centres in areas with excess power capacity. Russian and international investors alike are planning to finance several large regional projects related to the development of artificial intelligence (AI). What are the limits of technology development and what impact will they have on the Far East’s trade and economic relations? For business, AI is above all about a global transformation of end-to-end business processes. Are manufacturing enterprises prepared for a delayed economic effect resulting from missing or insufficient data? The ‘black box’ problem when using AI for decision-making is a question of trust in fast decisions, which are taken by a machine on the basis of statistical algorithms and are not transparent for humans. What is in that black box, and which content prevails: promising opportunities or new challenges and dangerous threats? Which tasks can already be delegated to virtual assistants? How will competition among ‘machine intellects’ bring about new benefits for the state and business?

Moderator:
Alexander Vedyakhin — First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank

Panellists:
Dmitry Alexeev — General Director, DNS
Mikhail Burtsev — Head of MIPT NeuroIntellect iPavlov Project
Soo-Young Lee — Professor of Electrical Engineering, Korean Institute of Advanced Science and Technology
Dmitry Peskov — Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Digital and Technological Development; Director of the Young Professionals direction, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Samir Saran — President, Observer Research Foundation

The national development goals of Russia include raising life expectancy to 78 years and ensuring sustainable natural population growth. In addition, a national demographics project has been developed. The indicators of the Far Eastern regions in this area are lower than the national average, and the gap is even more pronounced when we compare the region to neighbouring countries. To adequately respond to this challenge, the government will need to take a special approach to planning healthcare development in the Russian Far East. Given the region’s limited resources, it is necessary to take measures to improve the population’s quality of life in ways that will allow residents to lead professionally and physically active lives. What resources will be needed to increase life expectancy in the Russian Far East? In what ways is healthcare cooperation with neighbouring countries currently being developed?

Moderator:
Georgy Kaptelin — Deputy Editor-in-Chief, TASS Russia

Panellists:
Dmitry Morozov — General Director, BIOCAD
Takao Nishida — Deputy Secretary General, Hokuto Social Medical Corporation
Aleksandr Rumyantsev — General Director, Dmitry Rogachev National Research Centre
Valentin Shumatov — Rector, Pacific State Medical University
Hidetoshi Endo — Director, Education and Innovation Centre for Geriatrics and Gerontology, National Centre for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan
Tatyana Yakovleva — First Deputy Minister of Healthcare of the Russian Federation

Front row participants:
Lyubov Drozdova — Senior Researcher, Department of Primary Prevention of Chronic Non-Infectious Diseases in the Healthcare System, FGBU State Scientific and Research Center for Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation
Ekaterina Kruglova — Managing Director, Memory of Generations Charity Foundation
Pavel Serebryakov — Vice Governor of Primorsky Territory for Healthcare, Social Affairs, Physical Culture and Sport
Olga Tkacheva — Director, Russian Gerontology Clinical Research Centre (RGNKC)

The strategic goal of the demographic policy of the Russian Far East covering the period to 2025 is to stabilize the population at 6.2 million by 2020 and increase it to 6.5 million by 2025. Ensuring the growth of the population of the macroregion will require implementing a set of systematic measures that are designed to stimulate the birth rate by increasing the amount of social welfare payments that are awarded on the birth of a child, increasing life expectancy and reducing mortality, reducing migration outflow, and encouraging people from other regions of the country to resettle in the area. How can we implement special measures to achieve the goals of the national programme for demographic growth in the Far East and ensure that these measures are adequately funded? What needs to be done to ensure population growth? How can we reduce migration outflow and encourage people to resettle in the region?

Moderator:
Valery Fedorov — Director General, Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM)

Panellists:
Vsevolod Vukolov — Head, Federal Service for Labour and Employment (Rostrud)
Andrey Kaprin — Director, Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
Oleg Skufinskiy — Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District
Natalya Trunova — Vice President, Head of Spatial Development, Center for Strategic Research Foundation
Nikolay Kharitonov — Chairman of the Committee for Regional Policy and Issues of the North and Far East, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Svetlana Yachevskaya — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, Member of the Management Board, State Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)

Front row participants:
Veronica Peshkova — President, Foundation for the Development of Public Diplomacy Women's Perspective
Tatyana Savchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Government of Magadan Region
Nikolay Sivak — Commercial Director of Healthcare Sector, Philips Russia and CIS
Vera Shcherbina — Chairperson of the Government of Sakhalin Region

According to 2017 statistics, a high proportion of schoolchildren in the Far East still go to school in the afternoon and evening during the so-called 'second shift’. At 249, the number of students attending institutions of higher education per 10,000 residents is lower than the national average of 289. Across the macroregion, 13% of public schools are housed in buildings which are in a decrepit state or require major repairs. Close to 70% of equipment in schools is obsolete, and in a large number of buildings major repairs have not been performed for more than 50 years. In recent years, the percentage of graduate students defending dissertations who have graduated from institutions of higher education has also dropped significantly. How can we address the fact that the Russian Far East is falling behind? What approach should we take to determine the financial contribution of the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District in solving these problems as part of national and federal projects? Why is it necessary to envisage the creation of world-class scientific centres in the Far Eastern Federal District?

Moderator:
Marina Rakova — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Foundation for Educational Development

Panellists:
Igor Barinov — Head, Russian Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs
Alexander Bugaev — Head, Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh)
Olga Vasilyeva — Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation
Alexander Povalko — Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board, RVC
Robert Urazov — Chief Executive Officer, Agency for the Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers (WorldSkills Russia)

Front row participants:
Eugeniy Nizhnik — Deputy General Director, Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far Eastern Federal District
Nina Polichka — Director, Far Eastern Scientific Centre of Local Self-Government
Vladimir Solodov — Acting Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Natalya Tretyak — First Vice President, Gazprombank
Elvira Shamonova — General Director, Khabarovsk Territorial Education Centre

Colossal potential of the digital world is creating demand for educated specialists in advanced areas of expertise, for professionals who will create the future of the country and the world with their own hands. Digital economy is an inexhaustible source of new technology and disruptive discovery that boosts competition among specialists on the market, whole regions, and even countries. Russia’s first Digital Economy School was opened in the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) in 2018 supported by Sberbank as one of the key partners. Students can choose from five Master’s courses created together with Russia’s tech leaders, best universities, and science centers: “Artificial Intelligence and Big Data”, “Virtual and Augmented Reality”, “Cybersecurity”, “Regional Development Based on Remote Earth Probing Technology and Data”, and “Digital Art”. Dynamic, modular curricula allow for individual learning tracks. The teaching process is coupled with implementation of high-tech projects started by market-leading IT companies. It is the place for new ideas and daring projects.

Presentation of the Digital Economy School of the Far Eastern Federal University:
Nikita Anisimov — Rector, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)

Speech on Competences of the Future and New Trends in Technology:
Herman Gref — Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank

Address by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin
Address by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping
Address by President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga
Address by Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe
Address by Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Nak-yon

Moderator:
Sergey Brilev — Anchor, Deputy Director, Russia TV Channel; President, Bering Bellingshausen Institute for the Americas

The proposal to hold this session within the framework of the 4th Eastern Economic Forum stems from the obvious urgency of the digitalization subject, plus Russia’s obligations as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. The latter must be taken into account and observed in the process of discussing and implementing the country’s economic interactions with Southeast Asian states. Eurasian Economic Commission is currently engaged in talks on digital economy cooperation with two ASEAN member-states – Singapore and Cambodia. Discussion will focus on potentially promising areas of ASEAN-EAEU cooperation in development of digital economy; blockchain technology and problems of its legal regulation; proposals for improving media exchanges between EAEU members (including Russia) and ASEAN; e government systems in ASEAN countries, opportunities and risks of public administration digitalisation.

Moderator:
Viktor Sumsky — Director, ASEAN Centre, MGIMO University

Panellists:
Andrei Bystritsky — Chairman of the Board, Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club; Professor, National Research University Higher School of Economics
Channmeta Kan — Secretary of State, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of the Kingdom of Cambodia
Ivan Polyakov — Chairman, Russia - ASEAN Business Council
Elina Sidorenko — Leader of the Work Group for the Assessment of Risks Associated with Cryptocurrencies, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Carlos Sorreta — Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines in the Russian Federation
Carlos Tabunda — Director of the ASEAN Studies Center, New Era University; Anchor, Net 25 TV Channel
Yiseang Chhiv — Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia
Alexey Shevtsov — Managing Director, Head of Blockchain Technology Development, State Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)

Front row participants:
Ekaterina Koldunova — Associate Professor, Deputy Dean for Master Programs of International Relations Faculty, MGIMO University
Dato Redzuan Kushairi — Senior Advisor of Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaya; Representative Director, Silverlake

Since the new telemedicine law came into effect in 2018, a new market for such services has emerged in Russia. Experts estimate that it will be worth around RUB 18.5 billion this year, and RUB 68 billion in 2023. Across the vast expanses of Russia's Far East, telemedicine is particularly important, and is growing rapidly. It is clear that telemedical and other information technologies can overcome distances, contribute to better medical decisions, make it easier for health workers and patients to communicate, and assist with the collection and analysis of big data. However, it should not be forgotten that they are only technologies: the most important aspect of healthcare is for processes to be standardized. It is no coincidence that the aviation, auto, and nuclear industries all put process before technology. This means that both traditional and new models of healthcare should clearly specify what is to be done, by whom, and when, how staff and patients should be educated, and how infrastructure should support processes. Only then will the new technologies prove their worth and save lives. Does the new telemedicine law meet the development needs of these services? Have any standard operating procedures been specified for telemedical services? How will personal data be protected? What requirements do public and private telemedical service providers need to meet? Where will patient data be held, and how will such data make medical decisions easier? What additional resources are needed for wide-scale adoption of IT in healthcare?

Moderator:
Evelina Zakamskaya — Editor-in-Chief, Doctor Channel; Anchor, Russia 24

Panellists:
Alexander Akkuratov — Sales Director in Russia, Philips LLC
Ilya Larchenko — Chief Innovation Officer, Doc+
Oleg Pak — Chief Doctor, Medical Centre, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Mingjun Zu — President, Golden Days International Medical Technology Co., Ltd
Dmitry Churilov — Chief Physician, Vladivostok Ambulance Station

A range of measures are presently being implemented in Vladivostok Free Port to simplify customs procedures. The introduction of special customs regulations in ASEZs and in Vladivostok Free Port has already yielded practical results. What interim results have been achieved by the implementation of the Comprehensive Programme for the Development of the Russian Federal Customs Service by 2020? What measures to simplify and speed up customs operations are most in-demand? How can the efficiency of customs operations be increased and the administrative burden on those engaged in foreign trade be reduced through the use of information technologies? Do the new customs tools reflect the successful practices of Asia-Pacific countries? What next steps should be taken to improve customs administration mechanisms? How is the implementation of new customs legislation (including the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union and the Federal Law ‘On Customs Regulation’) helping to speed up and simplify customs processes and to attract investors?

Moderator:
Mikhail Orlov — Partner, Head of Tax and Legal, KPMG Russia

Panellists:
Vladimir Bulavin — Head, Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation
Alexander Kalinin — President, All-Russian Non-Governmental Organization of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses OPORA RUSSIA
Sergey Kolesnikov — President, TechnoNICOL Corporation
Dmitry Kudinov — General Director, Mazda Sollers Manufacturing Rus
Anton Skorik — Chairman, Vladivostok Free Port Residents Support Association; General Director, Renaissance
Yury Tyamushkin — General Director, VaninoTransUgol JSC
Yuriy Tsvetkov — Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation; Head, Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport
Ma Zhizhong — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jolanpu; Member of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Hao

Front row participant:
Pavel Polyakov — Chairman, Legal and Commercial Committee, Association of Sea Commercial Ports; Director for Organization and Partner Communications, Global Ports Investments Plc.

The network of cultural and art institutions in the Russian Far East has high potential. The Far Eastern Federal District is home to philharmonic societies, cinemas, circuses, parks of culture and recreation, and theatres for children and adults, including federally funded institutions, such as the Primorsky Stage of the State Mariinsky Theatre and a branch of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, as well as professional educational institutions and art schools. At the same time, the number of buildings housing cultural institutions that are in an unsatisfactory state of repair in the Far East exceeds the average Russian level. Visitor numbers also remain low and the problem of staffing in this sector is quite acute. Despite the measures that have been taken, there are a number of positions that have been left vacant due to a lack of housing and low wages. In order to help the Russian Far East to catch up, it is necessary to ensure that the national programme covers and funds special measures that are aimed at creating cultural and recreational organizations; cultural, educational, and museum centres featuring concert halls and schools of theatre, music, choreography, and other creative arts; as well as exhibition spaces, virtual concert halls, and cinemas, including in rural areas. What is the current assessment of the gap between the Russian national average values for key indicators and the values that are recorded in the Far Eastern Federal District? What are the target indicators that should be improved as part of the national cultural programme, and what values should be achieved in the Far East by 2024? How much funding is required for the national cultural programme in the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Victor Shalai — Director, Arseniev State Museum of Primorsky Region

Panellists:
Felix Azhimov — Director for Expertise and Analytics, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)
Asya Gabysheva — Director, National Art Museum of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Lyudmila Gorlacheva — Minister of Culture and Tourism of Magadan Region
Aleksandra Maksimets — General Director, "SEAWOLF. Cinematic stories creation" LLC
Eduard Smirnov — Chairman, Primorsky Regional Branch of All-Russian Public-Government Organization Russian Military Historical Society

Front row participants:
Svetlana Aygistova — Minister of Culture of Kamchatka Territory
Alexey Samarin — Minister of Culture and Archives of Sakhalin Region
Vladimir Tikhonov — Minister of Culture and Spiritual Development of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)
Andrey Chugunov — Rector, Far Eastern State Institute of Arts

The modern city is changing how its residents live, creating an environment for development, and providing a place where people can achieve their creative and intellectual potential. The appearance and comfort of our cities and towns have become important competitive factors in attracting and retaining the active part of the population, namely young professionals. In order to compete for human capital, the cities of the Russian Far East must, in one way or another, change their approach to development strategies. The integrated and phased introduction of ‘smart’ solutions in all areas of urban life will help to reduce utility costs, optimize resource consumption, make cities affordable and convenient for people, and attract investors. The opportunities for ‘smart’ development are mainly determined by high human and innovative potential, aspects which determine long-term social and economic development trends and improve the quality of the urban environment. What is a ‘smart city’? Which international technologies and best practices should be followed? Which are the first solutions that might be implemented in the Russian Far East? What mechanisms need to be developed in order to make cities smarter and attract investors?

Moderator:
Andrey Chibis — Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Lev Gorilovskiy — Member of the Board of Directors, Polyplastic Group
Dmitry Dyrmovsky — General Director, Member of the Board of Directors, Speech Technology Centre
Hiroaki Ishizuka — Chairman, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Aysen Nikolaev — Acting Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Mikhail Oseevskiy — President, Rostelecom
Fumihiko Yuki — Vice-Minister for Infrastructure, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan

Front row participants:
Alexey Abramov — Head, The Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology
Christopher Miller — Program Leader, World Bank Russian Federation
Dmitriy Tetenkin — Adviser to the Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East

A range of projects are being implemented in the Russian Far East today which will impact upon the future of logistics in Northeast Asia. The Russian Far East offers the shortest routes from east to west, with the Trans-Siberian Railway, providing a transportation solution that is a third faster than the available alternatives. The projects include the modernization of the Baikal–Amur Mainline and Trans-Siberian railway, international transport corridors in Primorsky Territory, the Northern Sea Route, and border crossing points in Amur Region and the Jewish Autonomous Region. Discussions are in progress on the construction of a bridge to Sakhalin Island and a high-speed mainline linking Harbin and Vladivostok. What main conditions are essential for the successful implementation of transport projects? What are the key qualitative indicators of projects that have already been launched? How can investment be attracted from the Asia-Pacific region into global logistics projects in the Russian Far East? What steps must be taken to make transport corridors more accessible and attractive to investors?

Moderator:
Yermolai Solzhenitsyn — Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company

Panellists:
Tero Vauraste — President, Chief Executive Officer, Arctia Ltd; Chair, Arctic Economic Council
Marina Dedyushko — Deputy Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East
Vyacheslav Ruksha — Deputy Director General, Director of the Directorate of the Northern Sea Route, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM
Vyacheslav Saraev — Chief Executive Officer, Head of the Executive Board, TransContainer PJSC
Igor Snegurov — Chairman of the Board of Directors, VIS Group
Vladimir Solodov — Acting Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Cai Zemin — Managing Director, China Railway Dongfang Group
Alexey Chichkanov — First Vice President, Gazprombank
Aleksey Shilo — Director of Commerce Activities, General Director of the Centre of Corporate Transportation Services, Russian Railways
Qin Enting — Chairman, Heihe Municipal People's Congress

Front row participant:
Alexey Tsedenov — Head of the Republic of Buryatia

Contemporary realities are giving rise to new challenges. The transformation of the economy, and as a result, the labour market, has resulted in current education systems being unable to satisfy the needs of the digital economy and ensure the implementation of National Technology Initiative roadmaps. One response to the demand from the state, business, and society for improved identification, development, and cultivation of talent is the creation of University 20.35 – a new kind of networked education system based on the best global practices used by education organizations and digital education platforms, and on the best courses and models for personal training. This new model of university is making it possible to move away from analogue paper credentials, and to replace them with digital skills passports, which are constantly supplemented by virtue of the ‘digital footprint’. One of the tasks of the university is to train individuals to manage based on data from teams of federal and regional government bodies. How can the education system be quickly reconfigured from an institution-centric one to an individual-centric one? How can we help individuals to understand and develop their own abilities? What tools can be used to assess skills ‘in the moment’? What is a Chief Data Officer, how many of them will be needed by 2035, and what is the most effective way to train them? Could artificial intelligence be capable of recommending a path for individual development based on big data collected during the training process? Could the Russian Far East become a region for self-development in difficult circumstances and position itself in the avant-garde of working with talented people?

Moderator:
Nikita Anisimov — Rector, Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU)

Panellists:
Vladislav Boutenko — Senior Partner, Managing Director, Chairman in Russia, The Boston Consulting Group
Olga Vasilyeva — Minister of Enlightenment of the Russian Federation
Vsevolod Vukolov — Head, Federal Service for Labour and Employment (Rostrud)
Pavel Gudkov — Deputy General Director, Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises
Mikhail Nikolayev — President of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (1991-2002)
Dmitry Peskov — Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Digital and Technological Development; Director of the Young Professionals direction, Agency for Strategic Initiatives
Vasily Tretyakov — General Director, University 20.35 Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization
Robert Urazov — Chief Executive Officer, Agency for the Development of Professional Communities and Skilled Workers (WorldSkills Russia)

Front row participants:
Mikhail Akim — Vice President, ABB Ltd; Chairman, Working Group for Modernization and Innovations, Association of European Businesses (AEB)
Dmitry Zemtsov — Head of the National Technology Initiative working group on developing continuing and non-formal education, Study Group Movement
Mikhail Khomich — Deputy Prime Minister, Udmurt Republic

The currently used tools for the advanced development of the Far East region, such as ASEZs, the Free Port regime in Vladivostok, infrastructure support for investors, Far Eastern Hectare programme and others are aimed at the future, yet have already produced some tangible results. This became possible due to consistent and rapid establishment of institutional and legislative basis for the development of the Far East. The participants of the round table will discuss the legislative aspects of implementing the development strategy for Far Eastern regions; key areas and goals of social and economic policy; as well as increase in the investment attractiveness of industries that are driving economic growth of the Far East.

Moderator:
Denis Kravchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation

Panellists:
Viktor Evtukhov — State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation
Grigoriy Kuranov — Deputy Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation
Sergey Sopchuk — Member of the Committee on Transport and Construction, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Vyacheslav Timchenko — Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation of the Russian Federation Committee on Economic Policy
Ilya Shestakov — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation; Head, Federal Agency for Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo)

Russia’s social development goals have been defined and include increasing life expectancy, reducing poverty, and natural population growth. These goals are especially relevant today for the Russian Far East. To address these issues, it will not be enough to just increase public expenditure. New approaches and solutions that combine private initiative, a focus on a specific result, and resources and investment will be required. When implementing social projects, it is often not the process of providing a service that is important, but rather the specific changes and social impacts that are achieved in a particular sector. Will Russia be able to switch from redistributing state budgets to finance services to a model that involves financing outcomes and achieving social and economic impacts? What tools are available for attracting private initiatives and investment to achieve social impacts? What are the key differences between the new funding tools and the traditional format for financing services and public–private partnerships? What has the experience of implementing social impact projects in other countries been? What impact has the SIB tool had on social issues in other countries? What is the role of the state in developing this tool? What is the role of social impact projects in achieving national development goals in the social sphere in the Russian Far East?

Moderator:
Marina Rakova — Chief Executive Officer, Russian Foundation for Educational Development

Panellists:
Marina Borovskaya — Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation
Innokentiy Dementyev — Deputy General Director, Presidential Grants for Civil Society Development Foundation
Ilya Torosov — Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation
Hidetoshi Endo — Director, Education and Innovation Centre for Geriatrics and Gerontology, National Centre for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Japan
Svetlana Yachevskaya — Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, Member of the Management Board, State Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs (Vnesheconombank)

Front row participant:
Nikolay Milkis — Deputy Governor, Director of Economic Development Department, Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Ugra