The “Asian Turn” in Russian Foreign Policy

This book explores the seemingly unstoppable turn away from Europe and towards Asian powers, notably China, on the part of the Russian state in the early 21st century. Ongoing global changes, the growing complexity of international interactions and internal political dynamics in Russia have led to what has become known in Russian official and expert discourse as the “Asian turn” or “turn to the East”. The monograph systemically analyzes all key directions of Russia's Asian turn and assesses achievements, problems and prospects of Russian strategy in Asia in a wider international context. The book might be interesting to those who are professionally studying IR, international dynamics in Asia, and Russian foreign policy in Asia. Anatoly Torkunov is the Rector of MGIMO University, Russia, and full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Prof. Torkunov is the author and co-author of more than 200 publications. He is an expert in international relations, Asia-Pacific and Northeast Asia, the recent history of Korea, and the history of diplomacy. Dmitry Streltsov is the Head of the Department of Asian and African Studies, MGIMO University, and the Leading Research Fellow, the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia. Since 2008, he has headed the Russian Association of Japanologists. His main research fields are the domestic politics and diplomacy of contemporary Japan. Ekaterina Koldunova is the Director of the ASEAN Centre and Associate Professor of Asian and African Studies Department in MGIMO. Her research focuses on regional transformations and security, international relations in Asia, Russian foreign policy in Asia, ASEAN and great powers, political systems and foreign policy of Southeast Asian states.