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On November 16-17, 2023, the 28th All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference "Southeast Asia and South Pacific Region: Actual Problems of Development" was held at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in a mixed format.

IMEMO employees took part in the event and made presentations.

November 16

Panel 1

Natalia Rogozhina, Chief Research Fellow of the Group of Regional Political Problems of East and South of the Center for Development and Modernization Studies, Dr. of Sciences (Politics), Associate Professor, – report "The Threat of Terrorism in Southeast Asia Remains".

In her speech, Natalia Rogozhina noted that despite the strengthening of the legislative basis of the fight against terrorism, arrests of leaders of terrorist organizations, careful monitoring of cyberspace, and the spread of deradicalization programs, the threat of terrorism in the region remains. In the Philippines, the authorities are most concerned about the activity of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, in Singapore and Malaysia about the radicalization of youth, in Indonesia about the new tactics of the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist organization and the presence of dormant terrorist cells influenced by ISIS*.

Panel 2

Ivan Zaitsev, Junior Research Fellow of the Center of the Indo-Pacific Region, – report "Myanmar Military Government's Recourse to Traditional Forms of Legitimization (2021–2023)".

The issues of Myanmar military government's recourse to traditional forms of legitimization were considered. These include:  donations to the sangha, the construction of an image of Maravijaya Buddha, the use of royal potestar symbols (white elephant and ruby), as well as some titles. Particular attention was paid to the problem of the military's appeal to occult Buddhist "yadaya" rituals, aimed at obtaining good fortune.

November 17

Panel 4

Alexander Rogozhin, Head of the Group of Economic Problems of the Center for Development and Modernization Studies, Cand. of Science (Economics), – report "Green Tech – a New Sphere of China's Economic Interests in Southeast Asia".

Alexander Rogozhin analyzed the new direction of China's investment cooperation with South-East Asia countries. The development of green technologies in China increasingly connects it with the largest economies of Southeast Asia. In 2022–2023 the PRC has invested in a number of major investment projects in the field of Green Tech in the region. They are mainly focused on the production of electric vehicles (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia) and lithium-ion batteries (Indonesia, Malaysia), solar panels (Vietnam, Indonesia), wind turbines (Thailand, Vietnam), rare earth elements mining (Myanmar, Malaysia).

The conference participants discussed regional problems of development of the countries of Southeast Asia and South Pacific region in the context of global transformation of the modern system of international relations, as well as current issues of development of individual countries in socio-economic, political, scientific, educational and cultural spheres.

Organizers of the event: Center for Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.