Sino-Russian Cooperation in the Far East in the Context of the “Openness to the North” and “Turn to the East” Strategies

Abstract

The Far East serves as a key frontier for Sino-Russian cooperation, shaped by the complementary strategies of China’s “Openness to the North” and Russia’s “Turn to the East,” focused on engaging with China and other Asian partners. The Far East plays a crucial role in aligning development with China’s northeastern provinces. Empirical evidence shows that trade and investment cooperation between the Far East and China is expanding rapidly. However, Chinese companies face several challenges in the Far Eastern regions, including payment and currency risks, frequent legislative changes, explicit and implicit restrictions on foreign investors, inconsistent standards, and limited experience in international cooperation. The article concludes that promoting Sino-Russian cooperation in the Far East requires coordinated efforts from think tanks, federal and local governments, and businesses in both countries. Key measures include developing a top-level plan, promoting standardization, targeting priority areas of cooperation, strengthening cooperation platforms, establishing cross-border production chains and industrial cooperation zones, and jointly resolving settlement issues. The findings are relevant to a wide range of stakeholders interested in interregional cooperation between Russia and China, including federal and local authorities, businesses, and research communities. They can serve as practical guidance for implementing measures that advance regional cooperation at both federal and local levels.