The Contents of the «Far Eastern Studies» N3, 2026.
Contents
Politics
Kuzminkov V.V. The Role of Japan in Strengthening Security in Southeast Asia (2010–2025)
Vinogradov A.V. China and India at the Center of a Multipolar World
Fedotov A.V. The Kuomintang Leadership’s Approaches to Cross-strait Relations, Issues of Defense and Diplomacy: Based on the Statements of Ma Ying-jeou (2008–2016)
Gerasimova T.G. China’s Vaccine Diplomacy: Strategy, Achievements, and Challenges
Economics
Grudev V. E. Current problems and prospects of Russian-South Korean cooperation in science and technology
Samsonova V.G., Bagratuni K.Y. The Economy of the Republic of Korea and the Challenges of Globalization
Zakharova L.V. A New Stage in Russia-DPRK Relations: The Socioeconomic Dimension of Cooperation
State and Society
Valiakhmetova G.N., Novotorkina D.A., Polyakova I.G. Assisted Reproductive Technologies in China: Development Factors and Challenges
Brambila Martinez F.J., Gribkova D.E. Mission-Oriented Innovation in Japan: A Comparative Analysis of R&D Partnerships
Shi Fayong, Zhang Xiaoling, Wu Zhiyi. The Interaction Mechanism Between Urban Communities and Teahouses in Contemporary China — a Case Study in Mianyang, Sichuan Province
Theory and Methodology
Rubina V.S. Multipolar Discourse in the Chinese Expert Community: Historical Legacy and Current Trends
Russian Far East
Zangeeva N.R., Batomunkuev V.S., Budaev D.P. Demographic Processes as a Dimension of Social Space: the Experience of Exploring Asian Russia
Scientific Events
Pirozhenko O.S., Semina L.I., Osetrova M.E., Shirikalova A.A. XXX Conference of Korean Studies in Russia and CIS Countries
Book Reviews
Aleksakhina S.N. Book Review: Novoselova L.V., Manezhev S.A. The Economy of Modern China: Paths of Renewal and Growth. Moscow: RAS, 2025. 655 p. ISBN 978–5–907645–80–6
Druzyaka A.V. Specific Examples of Soviet-Chinese Cooperation.
Review of the Collective Monograph «Soviet Specialists in China»: Published by the Coordination Council of Compatriots in China / S.V. Averchenko, S.N. Aleksakhina, E.S. Bogdanova, S.A. Van, Wang Xiaolong, M.V. Drozdov, K.M. Zubrilin, I.V. Kirichkov, E.S. Knyazeva, N.A. Kurianov, O.A. Maslovets, E.V. Murugova, O.S. Nagornykh, A.N. Ostapenko, G.S. Pashkovskaya, A.V. Petruk, A.N. Popov, A.N. Steblyanskaya, A.Yu. Suprun. Edited by A.N. Steblyanskaya. Moscow: Russian Research Center «Harbin», 2026. 367 p.
The Role of Japan in Strengthening Security in Southeast Asia (2010–2025)
Victor V. Kuzminkov
The article examines Japan’s contribution to strengthening security in Southeast Asia from 2010 to 2025 through its engagement with ASEAN and the use of ASEAN-centered institutions. It demonstrates that the legacy of Tokyo’s postwar pacifist policy has created a durable reservoir of trust in Southeast Asian countries, which became a key prerequisite for the institutional entrenchment of Japan’s role in regional security. Drawing on this capital, Japan promoted common norms and harmonized rules and procedures for interaction, and deployed mechanisms to strengthen partners’ capabilities. The analysis focuses on the interrelationship between the growing importance of sea lines of communication for Japan’s national security, intensified competition in the South China Sea, the increasing incidence of “grey zone” coercion, and the broadening of the security agenda in the 2020s. It finds that ASEAN-centered formats serve Japan as mechanisms of legitimation and norm-setting, but their political effectiveness is constrained by ASEAN’s consensus-based decision-making style and its sensitivity to polarization. In response, Tokyo has reinforced a modular approach and a networked mode of policy implementation, combining a multilateral framework with bilateral and project-based instruments for strengthening partners’ capabilities. At the operational level, the maritime domain remains the key “threshold” area, complemented by cooperation on crisis response as well as cyber and digital resilience. The study identifies institutional and political limits to Japanese influence stemming from the constraints of ASEAN-centered mechanisms and divergences in Southeast Asian states’ priorities. It concludes that Japan is not a guarantor of the region’s security but a provider of “modular resilience,” reinforcing an intermediate layer of institutions and practices between great-power rivalry and the day-to-day management of regional security.
China and India at the Center of a Multipolar World
Andrey V. Vinogradov
The crisis of the global order, caused by the growing contradictions within the Western world, is perceived primarily as an attempt by Eastern countries to displace Western countries, primarily the United States, from their position as global leaders. However, the success of reforming the international system depends not only on the ability of challengers to replace aging leaders, but also on their ability to propose a more stable international order that addresses the shortcomings of the current system and demonstrates its effectiveness in addressing the major challenges of our time. In this context, the rivalry between China and the United States inevitably carries the imprint of the old world, and their relationship will remain internally contradictory and compromise-driven for an extended period. Only the participation of new players, who are not only free from the inertia of old problems and ways of solving them, but also belong to the global majority, can lead to the formation of new principles and approaches to international relations. The lack of experience in interstate cooperation, the lack of developed economic ties, and the 1962 border conflict initially prevented the jointly developed five principles of peaceful coexistence from being put into practice. Now, the conditions have emerged for a new stage of bilateral cooperation, which could lead to the development of a fundamentally different type of relationship between the great powers of the Global South and contribute to the formation of a multipolar world order.
The Kuomintang Leadership’s Approaches to Cross-strait Relations, Issues of Defense and Diplomacy: Based on the Statements of Ma Ying-jeou (2008–2016)
Andrey V. Fedotov
Amid growing tensions between the two shores of the Taiwan Strait, it is important to consider the approaches that led to the highest level of cross-strait cooperation in history — during the presidency of Ma Ying-jeou from 2008 to 2016. This analysis is also significant given the Kuomintang’s ambition to break the electoral cycle of the Democratic Progressive Party, which succeeded in winning the presidential elections of the third consecutive time in 2024. In this regard, the article systematizes the Kuomintang’s approaches in three areas: relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, in the field of defense development, and in diplomatic activities.
The foundation of Ma Ying-jeou’s approaches was the development of dialogue with mainland China based on the “1992 Consensus”, which the Kuomintang positioned as “one China, respective interpretations”. However, adherence to the “1992 Consensus” did not imply that the Ma Ying-jeou administration was willing to discuss political issues and the possibility of reunification in the foreseeable future.
In his speeches, Ma Ying-jeou established a connection between these three areas, justifying the necessity of maintaining active dialogue with mainland China. Thus, dialogue with Beijing was seen as a key aspect of defense, no less important than the development of the armed forces. In addition, the normalization of relations allowed Ma Ying-jeou’s administration to maintain space for Taiwan in the international arena in the short term, while rapprochement with the mainland did not mean abandoning military and other forms of cooperation with the United States.
China’s Vaccine Diplomacy: Strategy, Achievements, and Challenges
Tatiana G. Gerasimova
This article analyzes key aspects of China’s vaccine diplomacy, its achievements, challenges, and long-term implications. China’s vaccine diplomacy during the COVID-19 pandemic has become an important tool for strengthening the country’s international influence and achieving national security. China actively supplied vaccines to developing countries, developed pharmaceutical cooperation, and used humanitarian aid as an element of its foreign policy strategy. China’s actions have brought benefits both to Beijing and to the countries receiving Chinese vaccines, providing them with the necessary resources to fight the pandemic and allowing them to begin vaccinating their populations in a timely manner. However, China’s vaccine diplomacy has also faced significant challenges, including competition from the West, questions about vaccine efficacy, and political opposition. Beijing’s attempts to advance its geopolitical interests have raised concerns and a negative reaction from the international community. Since Chinese vaccine supplies were primarily provided through payments and bilateral agreements, bypassing international aid mechanisms (WHO, Gavi), especially during the first year of the pandemic, the interpretation of China’s actions as hard power, associated with a certain degree of coercion, has become widespread. Some countries have seen a rise in Sinophobia and negative attitudes toward China, stemming from concerns that Beijing will use its vaccine supplies solely as a tool to expand its political influence, negatively impacting China’s image. However, a comprehensive assessment of China’s aid volumes during the pandemic, including medical equipment and personal protective equipment, makes it the world’s largest aid donor, making an invaluable contribution to the COVID-19 response.
Current Problems and Prospects of Russian-South Korean Cooperation in Science and Technology
Vasily E. Grudev
The article explores the problems of Russian-South Korean cooperation in science and technology as a form of trade and economic cooperation in the context of the unfolding global crisis. The complementary nature of our countries’ economies, extensive cultural and academic ties, influential diasporas, and family connections all create favorable conditions for mutually beneficial cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea, but more than 35 years of official relations have not yielded the expected results. An analysis of the current dynamics of bilateral relations, mutual restrictions, and the influence of external factors (primarily the nature of our countries’ relations with the DPRK and the United States) demonstrates not only new challenges, but also new opportunities for cooperation in various fields. The author concludes that the latter can be implemented both within the framework of the inertial (negative) scenario, which preserves the current nature of the political and trade-economic relations between our countries, and within the framework of the revolutionary (positive) scenario, which requires the parties to reconsider their existing relations and political will. According to the author, the development of scientific and technical cooperation (STC) between our countries in the field of nuclear energy is one of the real possibilities for the positive scenario. The author believes that the declared interest of the Republic of Korea in developing STC with our country in the near future should be supported by practical actions. Otherwise, the Republic of Korea will become a less important partner for the Russian Federation than its immediate neighbors, such as North Korea or China. The current task for the Russian side is to clearly and timely demonstrate this to its South Korean partners.
The Economy of the Republic of Korea and the Challenges of Globalization
Viktoria G. Samsonova
Karine Y. Bagratuni
The Republic of Korea, having actively engaged in globalization, has achieved significant results in its economic development in a relatively short period of time. The country is among the twenty largest countries in the world by GDP, is a significant player in trade, ranking 6th in the world in terms of export volume (with trade volume exceeding 1.3 trillion dollars in 2025), holds a high position in the global production of automobiles, ships, mechanical engineering products, electronics and ICT, is one of the world leaders in innovation and R&D, etc. However, growing problems in the global economy and the intensifying waves of crises into which the country, being closely intertwined with the global economy, has plunged quite deeply, are forcing the Republic of Korea to revise its economic policy from global openness to practical regionalization. At the same time, the significant challenges posed by globalization are growing, the key ones for the Republic of Korea being both geopolitical and economic, characterized by escalating trade conflicts between the world’s leading powers, the intensification of sanctions wars against unacceptable countries, the spread of such a phenomenon as friendshoring, and the artificial disruption of existing supply chains. In this article, the authors analyze the main challenges of globalization and its consequences for the Republic of Korea’s economy and research the policies of the new Republic of Korea administration within the framework of the pragmatic diplomacy, including paying special attention to relations with its key partners, the United States and China, amid ongoing confrontation between them.
A New Stage in Russia-DPRK Relations: The Socioeconomic Dimension of Cooperation
Liudmila V. Zakharova
The year 2024 marked the beginning of a new stage in relations between Russia and the DPRK. This period is characterized by a return to allied ties and the development of contacts across a wide range of areas. Military-technical cooperation between the two countries is most frequently mentioned in the global media, but relations are also progressing in other areas. This article analyzes the main directions and results of Russia-North Korea economic and social cooperation, examining key projects, their challenges, and prospects.
In 2024–2025 tourism, education, healthcare, agriculture, and transportation have become established as important areas of cooperation. During mutual visits and negotiations, the two sides explored most popular, convenient, and beneficial formats. The development of trade relations has received new impetus. Thanks to the elevation of relations between Russia and the DPRK to the level of an alliance, favorable conditions have been created for expanding people-to-people exchanges, and the interest of the peoples of the two countries in each other has significantly increased.
For further progress, work is necessary in two main areas. On the one hand, it is essential to create sustainable infrastructure and institutional conditions (transport routes, payment systems, channels for business contacts, etc.). On the other hand, given the cultural differences, it is crucial to continue developing diverse exchanges between the peoples of the two countries so that they can better understand each other and interact more effectively. This is facilitated by expanding cooperation in the social and humanitarian spheres.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies in China: Development Factors and Challenges
Gulnara N. Valiakhmetova
Darya A. Novotorkina
Irina G. Polyakova
China is currently addressing a severe demographic crisis caused by the negative consequences of the “one-child policy.” Since 2016, the government has shifted to pro-natalist policies, but their effectiveness is constrained by a range of socio-economic, demographic, legal, psychological, and medical factors. Of particular concern to Chinese authorities is the deterioration of the population’s reproductive health. The prevalence of reproductive disorders, especially infertility, has been steadily increasing and affecting younger age groups, which has intensified public demand for assisted reproductive technologies (ART). As a result, China’s ART services market has entered a phase of rapid growth, yet it remains unable to meet rising demand. Moreover, family planning remains under strict state control, affecting both patients seeking ART services and specialized medical institutions. ART procedures are tightly regulated and permitted only for officially registered married couples; surrogacy, as well as the purchase and sale of oocytes and embryos, is legally prohibited. The specific approach of Chinese authorities to ART effectively restricts certain population groups in their reproductive choice, thereby stimulating the development of a domestic shadow market and redirecting consumer demand abroad. At the same time, this trend creates opportunities for Russian medical centers, enabling Chinese patients to legally obtain high-quality ART services at advanced specialized institutions in Russia.
Mission-Oriented Innovation in Japan: A Comparative Analysis of R&D Partnerships
Francisco Javier Brambila Martinez
Daria E. Gribkova
Contemporary studies on Japanese science and technology (S&T) policy often focus on the limitations of various government initiatives in addressing the nation’s developmental stagnation, overlooking distinctive institutional and policy features of its public-private sector symbiosis. This deprives policymakers of critical insights into demand-side governance mechanisms, including policy instruments and coordination frameworks. This research article provides a comparative analysis of Japan’s large- and medium-scale R&D partnerships, examining their evolution, design, and outcomes within the broader context of the country’s mission-oriented innovation strategy.
The study traces Japan’s collaborative R&D framework through its «University, Industry, and Government» (U-I-G) strategy and its subsequent policy interventions. Three distinct phases of institutional development are identified: the establishment of knowledge transfer mechanisms (1996–2000), the standardization of intellectual property management (2001–2005), and the creation of innovation hubs and research administration offices (2006–2011). The effectiveness of these initiatives is evidenced by a 100.5 % growth in industry-academia research projects and a 577.8 % increase in licensing revenues from 2010 to 2021.
A comparison of large-scale programs reveals a shift from rigid, competition-driven models to flexible, outcome-based approaches aligned with long-term national goals. While ImPACT’s prescriptive demonstrator model achieved only 25 % commercialization, Moonshot’s phased structure has shown 38 % of projects demonstrating potential for extended research. Similarly, medium-scale initiatives like A-STEP (2007) and NexTEP (2015) highlight the benefits of extended timelines, co-development partnerships and equity-based commercialization.
These findings underscore Japan’s adaptive policy evolution, balancing structured objectives with research autonomy and stakeholder incentives with actionable insights for policymakers navigating the complexities of mission-oriented innovation.
The Interaction Mechanism Between Urban Communities and Teahouses in Contemporary China — a Case Study in Mianyang, Sichuan Province
Shi Fayong
Zhang Xiaoling
Wu Zhiyi
Tea drinking is a deeply ingrained traditional practice in China. To meet this demand, a multitude of commercial teahouses have proliferated across both urban and rural areas nationwide. While the primary role of teahouses remains the provision of tea services, the congregation of patrons within these spaces also facilitates the formation of complex social networks and power relations, thereby extending their function into realms of social interaction and local governance. Historically, teahouses have typically served broader surrounding regions. In contemporary urban China, however, emerging types of teahouses increasingly cater to specific local communities, generating novel influences on public life and community governance. Drawing upon a case study and fieldwork conducted in Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, this study finds that although teahouses are commercial establishments, local residents participate extensively in their daily operations. A hierarchical differentiation among teahouses corresponds to distinct patterns of resident behavior. Upscale teahouses predominantly attract a smaller proportion of middle- and upper-class patrons, whereas ordinary teahouses gather a larger number of residents from average socioeconomic backgrounds, fostering more extensive social communication. These ordinary teahouses rely heavily on the acquaintances in specific local communities as a primary source of revenue, utilizing acquaintance networks to cultivate a community-based economic model. Consequently, such teahouses become key sites for the emotional and social construction of local residents, with mutual interaction and interdependence operating on both economic and affective levels. Thus, collective consumption centered on tea drinking exerts a positive influence on community governance.
Multipolar Discourse in the Chinese Expert Community: Historical Legacy and Current Trends
Valeria S. Rubina
The topic of restructuring the global system into a new multipolar structure is increasingly emerging in contemporary political discourse. This theme is also reflected in the works of Chinese experts and political scientists. On the one hand, the current upheavals in the global architecture are complicating China’s traditional development mechanisms, but on the other hand, they are providing new options for more active participation in the emerging world order. Beijing’s foreign policy initiatives demonstrate that its leadership has adopted a course of stimulating reform not only of the global financial and economic system, but also of the entire global governance system. This raises an important research question, which this paper aims to address: which features of global reform, prioritized by China, reflect the country’s actual position on building a multipolar world? Within the framework of China’s current foreign policy, multipolarity represents not so much a theoretical basis for studying relations between states as an ambitious concept that directly shapes the vector of China’s diplomacy with both developed and developing countries. To predict China’s role in rebuilding the global order, it is necessary not only to identify the distinctive features of China’s understanding of the functioning of the new system of relations but also to interpret the idea of multipolarity by the expert community in accordance with the Chinese mentality and worldview, which is the purpose of this paper. This study aims to explore and understand the Chinese perspective on the development vectors of a multipolar world order. This paper presents a critical discourse analysis of several foreign policy documents and government concepts, aimed at examining the official position of the country’s leadership, as well as an analysis of expert assessments reflecting the current views of Chinese scholars and political scientists regarding the practical implementation of the new configuration within the framework of these concepts.
Demographic Processes as a Dimension of Social Space: the Experience of Exploring Asian Russia
Natalia R. Zangeeva
Valentin S. Batomunkuev
Dorzhi P. Budaev
The article presents the dynamics of spatial and demographic processes in the regions of Asian Russia through the prism of the synthesis of classical demography and modern spatial demography and geodemography. The relevance of this work is due to the need for a comprehensive understanding of the anthropogeographic transformation of the Russian East, which a complex multidimensional process that affects not only quantitative indicators of the population (such as population size, birth rates, death rates, and migration), but also the qualitative characteristics of the social space (such as the age structure of settlement, the accounting of migration patterns that reflect the central-peripheral gradients of their territorial connectivity and polarization, as well as the quality of the emerging socio-labor environment). The study is of particular importance in the context of long-term strategic objectives for the development of the eastern territories, ensuring demographic security and sustainable regional development. The methodological framework of the study is based on the integration of three complementary analytical levels — demographic analysis, spatial demography and geodemography, which allows for a multidimensional view of population dynamics. Demographic analysis is the foundation of the research, it allows us to record and interpret key statistical indicators — the age-sex structure, the natural and mechanical movement of the population. Spatial demography goes beyond purely quantitative data: territorial patterns of settlement are identified, demographic phenomena are mapped, spatial relationships reflecting population concentration and scarcity are analyzed. Geodemographic analysis complements the spatial approach by taking into account the influence of a complex of natural, social and economic factors. The empirical base of the study is made up of Rosstate data, as well as requests to the territorial bodies of state statistics for the periods under review. The results of the study demonstrate a number of stable trends: steady depopulation, population concentration in regional capitals and large agglomerations, strengthening of central and peripheral imbalances, the formation of stable migration outflows from the Far East and Eastern Siberia.