4 February 2020
February 4th, MGIMO received ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, who came to Moscow on an official visit together with a delegation of senior officials of the ASEAN Secretariat.
The guests were greeted by MGIMO’s Vice-Rector A. Malgin, the Deputy Director of the Department of Asian-Pacific Cooperation at the Russian Foreign Ministry A. Lyamin and the Director of the ASEAN Center V. Sumsky. Associate Professor E. Koldunova made a short presentation on the most recent projects of the Center.
The guest of honour was taken on a tour of the ASEAN Center and had an informal discussion with representatives of MGIMO and the Russian Foreign Ministry about the directions for the development of the ASEAN center. Lim Jock Hoi then addressed the participants of an expert round table organized in his honour.
In his speech, the guest described the current stage of the Association’s development and the challenges it faces, emphasizing the importance of the construction of the ASEAN Community. He also spoke of the efforts to create a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RWEP) in the Pacific region and the ASEAN’s approach to the idea of an Indo-Pacific region. The ASEAN Secretary General underlined the fact that during times of turmoil in Asian and world affairs, it is essential to develop multilateral and inclusive cooperation. Indeed, he praised the expansion of relations between ASEAN and Russia, which struck in 2018 a strategic partnership.
MGIMO faculty members, including Professor Y. Dubinin, the Leading Researcher at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences G. Lokshin, the employee of the Russian Center for the Study of APEC K. Khadji, A. Malgin and E. Koldunova, engaged in a dynamic dialogue with the guest on these issues.
The round table ended on a high note with the participants on both sides agreeing that Russia and ASEAN have found a new sphere of cooperation in the digitalization of the economy and the development of information and communication technologies, including the topic of «smart cities».
— See the MGIMO web-site for russian version
