The impact of the Turn to the East Policy on foreign direct investment in the Russian Far East

Abstract

This study aims to measure the effectiveness of Russia’s Turn to the East Policy, addressed by the federal government in 2012, on the economic development of the underdeveloped Far Eastern regions, in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows data. To do so, this paper analyzed the results of the representative policy mechanisms - designed to promote the Far Eastern investments - of the Turn to the East Policy, comprised of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEC), Advanced Special Economic Zones (ASEZs), and Vladivostok Free Ports (VFPs), based on the secondary data from the governmental organizations. From the study, in spite of the previous contentions on those policy mechanisms amongst policymakers, we elucidate the incremental growing FDI - majorly contributed by the East Asian countries: China, Japan, and South Korea - propensity in the Far East. The three Eastern Asian countries promote investments in the Russian Far East for different eco-political purposes. And it further analyzed that for Russia, despite the remarkable magnitude of Chinese and Japanese FDI compared to South Korea, South Korea is still the most attractive partner, in terms of lack of threats: The Chinese expansionism, and the Kuril Island dispute with Japan.