Aug. 19—The business program for Russia’s Eastern Economic Forum, Sept. 3-6 in Vladivostok, was posted Aug. 12, giving details of themes, sessions and special activities. The main theme is, “The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity.”

There is special interest and significance this year to the Forum, which is marking its 10th anniversary, coming as it does after the Aug. 15 Summit between Presidents Putin and Trump, and following after the two major international events in China: the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting Aug. 31-Sept. 1, and the Sept. 3 commemoration of the Victory over Japanese Aggression and Defeat of Fascism.

Overall, the EEF business program has some 90 sessions scheduled, divided into 7 thematic blocs. The agenda includes business dialogues with China, India, ASEAN, and Thailand and Myanmar.

There are many sessions regarding the Northern Sea Route, the Asia-Pacific sphere and related areas and corridors of trade and development. For example, two of the seven themes are: “The Far East: A Region for Living and Development,” and “Arteries of Growth: How Logistics Are Driving Economic Change.” The latter category includes sessions on, “The Role of the Far East in Ensuring Russia’s Transport Sovereignty”; and “The Northern Supply Route: Reliable, Rapid and Affordable”; and “500 Years Straight Ahead: From Discovery to the Cutting Edge on the Northern Sea Route.” A major consideration is how the “Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor” can be developed further. The Bering Strait is the gateway, and an inter-continental east-west land link would transform the globe.

Attendance in Vladivostok may be in the range of 6,000, representing 36 nations, according to a report in Sputnik earlier this month. This forecast is lower than the 7,100 people from 75 nations attending the EEF last year, attributable mostly to the impact of sanctions and other economic aggression. Nevertheless, whatever the numbers involved this year, the role of the meeting is powerful.

Russia’s Far East is described by Anton Kobyakov, the Executive Secretary of the EEF Organizing Committee and an Adviser to President Putin, as “not only Russia’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, but also an important center of economic growth. Unique preferential regimes, large-scale infrastructure projects and systemic business support measures are already making the region attractive for investment and innovation. The Eastern Economic Forum plays a special role in this process…. The Forum has become the main platform for building long-term partnerships with leading Asian countries….”