Pacific Russia in the New Regionalism of North Pacific: Cross-Border and Interregional Relations

Abstract

The development of Pacific Russia is becoming an increasingly important policy initiative for the Russian government. The chapter sets out to analyse two distinct forms of cooperation taking place, cross-border and interregional collaboration, which are vitally important for the socio-economic development of the region. The former is defined as cooperation between adjacent areas that are across state borders, and the latter focuses on communication and cooperation among areas across countries that are being undertaken without the involvement of the federal authorities. As Pacific Russia continues to emerge as a distinct economic, social and cultural space in the region contributing to the growing economic cooperation between Russia and East Asia, especially China, Japan, and South and North Korea, it is critical to examine how these two forms of cooperation can support the region’s economic development and political engagement. The chapter’s primary goal is to analyse the structure, framework, and utility of these differing forms of cooperation, and how they may benefit the development of Pacific Russia and international cooperation in the region.