Editor's Note: In recent years, with the implementation of Russia's "Looking East" policy, the Far Eastern region has attracted increasing attention.
On September 5th, at the 10th Eastern Economic Forum, Russian President Putin delivered a keynote speech, systematically expounding on the development strategy for the Far East and the Arctic region.
Putin emphasized that the development of the Far East is a national priority for Russia in the 21st century. In the future, it will promote the construction of a "future-oriented economy" in the Far East by strengthening infrastructure and industrial layout, optimizing the business environment, and improving people's well-being. It is planned to formulate a long-term development strategy by 2036, aiming to make the region surpass the national average in economic and living standards, becoming a new hub for cooperation in the Eurasian continent.
The following is the full translation of Putin's speech.
Local time September 5, 2025, Vladivostok, Russia, Russian President Putin delivers a speech at the plenary session of the 10th Eastern Economic Forum. Visual China
[Translation / Xue Kaihuan]
Dear Mr. Somsay Siphandone (Prime Minister of Laos)! Dear Mr. Zandsarantul (Prime Minister of Mongolia)! Dear Mr. Li Hongzhong! Ladies and gentlemen!
Now, I would like to speak to the Russian audience present here, and please convey my greetings to all foreign guests. Personally, I would like to thank the foreign guests who have come to attend this meeting for their interest in cooperating with us, and for their willingness to invest valuable time in this.
Vladivostok once again welcomed participants and guests from over 70 countries at the Eastern Economic Forum.
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Eastern Economic Forum. I would like to remind everyone that the concept of the forum was synchronized with the beginning of a new stage in the development of the Far East. The major work of developing the Far East is aimed at creating broad opportunities for the people, the youth, especially for enterprises, fully tapping into the resources, industry, and logistics potential of this strategically significant region of Russia, and improving the quality of life of the residents of the Far East.
This milestone tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum is not only an opportunity to summarize the achievements of coordinated actions by government agencies, entrepreneurs, and social organizations, but also a platform to clarify future measures and elaborate on our long-term plans for the development of the Far East. These plans concern further enhancing the role of the Far East in Russia's domestic economy and international cooperation system, especially its role in the rapidly developing Asia-Pacific regional cooperation system.
As you know, the development of the Far East and Siberia has been determined as a national priority for Russia throughout the 21st century. At the end of 2013, I mentioned this in my address to the Federal Assembly. Since then, the relevant legal framework has gradually been established and continuously improved, and a series of enterprise support tools have been introduced, including the "Territory of Advanced Development" (Территория опережающего развития, ТОР) system, the Vladivostok Free Port system, the Kuril Islands preferential system, and the Russky Island Special Administrative Region system, among others.
Vladivostok Golden Horn Bridge
We have launched a large-scale plan to strengthen transportation, energy, and municipal infrastructure. At the same time, we have adopted several resolutions to support housing construction, renovation, and the establishment of social facilities, including schools, kindergartens, clinics, hospitals, and sports venues. These efforts have been integrated into the major "Far East Development National Plan." The plan sets ambitious goals: to promote the rapid growth of the economy and technology in the Far East, and to improve the well-being of residents in the Far East Federal District.
These efforts are yielding expected results. Over the past few years, the Far East has led in multiple key indicators (especially economic indicators), growing faster than the national average of Russia. For example, over 10 years, the region's gross regional product increased by more than 2.5 times, from 4 trillion rubles to 11 trillion rubles.
During the same period, 20 trillion rubles were invested in companies and enterprises in the Far East. A quarter of this went to state-supported projects, involving mining, oil and gas chemical industries, and construction. I can list the regions with the highest investment in fixed assets over the past 10 years: Yakutia (4.5 trillion rubles), Amur Oblast (4 trillion rubles), and Sakhalin Oblast (2.6 trillion rubles). These three regions accounted for 55% of the total investment in the Far East Federal District.
The investment growth in the Far East regions is very strong: last year, the investment volume (calculated at actual value) in the region was twice that of 10 years ago. By comparison, Russia's overall investment volume was 1.5 times that of 10 years ago, which is indeed a good result, but the performance of the Far East is clearly better.
Per capita, the investment in the Far East is now twice the national average. What does this mean? It means that we are not only building a modern industrial base, but actually a new industrial layout in this region. This is precisely the significance of it. Thousands of growth points are emerging and continue to emerge on this land, including world-class enterprises such as the Bayim Mining and Processing Complex in Chukotka, the Udokan Copper Company in Transbaikal, the gas processing plant and gas chemical complex in Amur Oblast, the Nakhodka Mining and Fertilizer Plant, and the "Zvezda" Shipyard in Primorsky Krai, the hydrometallurgical plant in Khabarovsk Krai, etc.
The increase in commercial activity and entrepreneurial vitality in the Far East, as well as the expansion of economic development space, is the foundation for further development of the region. It is important to maintain a stable development trend in its traditional industries, in those sectors that have entered a growth trajectory, to improve infrastructure and logistics connectivity, ensure stable supply of affordable clean energy, and of course, ensure resource supply.
I would like to point out that the raw material base of the Far East is expanding, and the scale of mineral extraction in the region is also increasing. For example, over the past 10 years, coal and gold production in the region has increased by nearly 1.7 times. This is partly due to the "application system" for mineral rights, which encourages private capital to participate more actively in geological exploration, resulting in a significant increase in the number of newly discovered mines (including large ones), such as the Lugokan gold-copper deposit in Transbaikal and the "Roman" gold-silver mine in Yakutia.
I would like to talk separately about rare metals and rare earth metals, which are widely used in high-tech industries, instrument manufacturing, nuclear energy technology, radio electronics, and other fields. These resources often accumulate in the form of slag during mineral development (including mineral development in the Far East). We have already established a system for statistical inventory of these resources. With the development of technology, these resources can be extracted and efficiently utilized. In June of this year, I also mentioned the issue of initiating related plans at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin visits the United Engine Manufacturing Group - Kuznetsov Aviation Engine Enterprise, accompanied by First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Government Coordination Committee Denis Manturov and Minister of Industry and Trade Alkhanoov.
At the same time, it is necessary to regularly check these "valuable components" throughout the entire value chain (including concentrate processing and export), and to promote advanced enrichment and processing technologies for rare metals and rare earth metal ores. Of course, it is also necessary to stimulate demand for these metals within Russia and promote the development of related new industries.
Half a year ago, that is, in February of this year, we reached a consensus to develop a long-term plan for the rare earth industry. I have asked the Russian government to complete the approval of this plan by the end of November this year.
Next, I would like to talk about the energy issues in the Far East. Just before the plenary session, we held a meeting on energy issues in the Far East. I believe many of the people present here have already paid attention to this meeting. Obviously, as the economic and social fields develop, the demand for electricity in the region will only continue to grow. Therefore, when planning the commissioning schedule of power generation capacity, we must ensure that it meets the growing needs of enterprises, cities, residential areas, and the population. What I am talking about here includes not only the development of natural gas and modern coal power, but also the development of the vast hydroelectric potential of the Far East.
There are already hydroelectric power stations operating on the rivers of the Far East, and more will be built in the future. These hydroelectric power stations will produce clean energy. Building such hydroelectric power stations requires modern engineering and technical solutions, and our leading company "RusHydro" has the relevant experience and technical reserves. However, it is obvious that the development of the hydroelectric industry requires a large amount of capital investment.
Instructions have already been given regarding this matter. I hope that the government and colleagues in various regions will continue to pay special attention to the development of small and medium-sized and large hydroelectric power stations. At the same time, I want to emphasize: what I am talking about here is not only the economic significance. The development of the hydroelectric industry is an indispensable part, including responsible water resource utilization, multi-year regulation reservoir management, and flood prevention, which directly relate to the ecological environment, agricultural development, and the safety of cities and residential areas.
Of course, the rivers of the Far East themselves are natural transportation routes, connecting different regions and providing supplies for cities and residential areas under the framework of the Northern Logistics.
Another related separate topic needs to be discussed, which is logistics. In recent years, the load on the transportation system in the Far East has significantly increased, and the connection between the region and foreign countries has also been continuously strengthened. All of this requires us to update highways and railways, expand seaport terminals, and build modern transportation hubs equipped with automated warehouses and digital handling systems.
We will continue to promote the modernization of the Eastern Railway Hub - BAM (Baikal-Amur Mainline) and the Trans-Siberian Railway. By 2032, the transport capacity of these two railways should be increased by 50% compared to the beginning of this year.
Next, we also need to further expand the railway branches leading to the sea ports of the Far East. These ports are developing rapidly and are mainly driven by private investment. Over the past 10 years, the port throughput of the region has actually doubled, and the throughput this year is nearly 380 million tons. According to the current federal project plan, the port throughput of the Far East needs to increase by an additional 115 million tons per year by 2030.
The Far East has already built the China-Russia cross-border bridge - the "Nelinskoye-Tongjiang" Bridge and the "Blagoveschensk-Heihe" Bridge. In our plan, we will also build more bridges, such as the bridge spanning the Tumen River to North Korea, which is planned to open next year. We need to actively develop the transportation and logistics centers around these bridges to maximize their passage capacity and potential. In addition, the modernization of border checkpoints has also been put on the agenda. This task is equally important, because relying solely on transportation corridors is not enough; it also requires supporting administrative logistics systems.
I also want to add one more point: all the airports of the federal subjects in the Far East are undergoing renovation and upgrading. The annual passenger volume of these airports has exceeded 14 million, including an increasing number of tourists coming to these beautiful places.
Under this context, I would like to mention the Russian State Development Corporation (ВЭБ.РФ, VEB.RF, a proposal initiated by an institution dedicated to serving Russian state-owned enterprises): the group has developed comprehensive development plans for 12 new all-year-round tourist resorts in Primorsky Krai, Sakhalin Oblast, and Kamchatka Krai. This plan will almost double the number of visitors to these regions in the next 10 years.
Similarly, some landmark events are worth noting, such as the resumption of flights between Vladivostok and Pyongyang after the pandemic, and the opening of direct flights between Moscow and the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, with the first flight having taken off in July. And a month ago, the direct passenger train between Moscow and Pyongyang had also resumed operation. I believe these measures will further promote the closer relations between the two countries and build a more solid cooperative bond.
Certainly, regardless of the Far East, the whole of Russia, or the whole of Eurasia, there is another very important issue, which is the development of the trans-Arctic transportation corridor. The route of this corridor is: starting from Saint Petersburg, through Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, along the Northern Sea Route, and finally arriving at Vladivostok.
We have noticed that both Russian companies operating in the Arctic and foreign shipping companies show increasing interest in this route. Moreover, what we are talking about is not sporadic, one-time transit transportation, but the establishment of a stable freight basis.
We will promote the development of the trans-Arctic transportation corridor.
We have always been paying attention to the Northern Sea Route, but if you pay attention, I am now mentioning and emphasizing the "trans-Arctic transportation corridor," because we have concluded that we must take a more macroscopic perspective to advance the work, and this transportation corridor needs to operate in synergy with all adjacent areas of the Northern Sea Route and their resource potential.
In Murmansk, Russia, special-purpose vessels and icebreakers responsible for the safety of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) navigation.
Yes, it is a comprehensive system that must integrate maritime, rail, and road transportation modes. This system will be able to tap into the potential of Russia's main rivers, such as the Ob, Yenisei, and Lena, and all links need to be incorporated into a unified system for coordinated operations.
Our tasks include not only opening up reliable and safe sea routes in the Arctic and achieving year-round navigation on the trans-Arctic transportation corridor, but also advancing "onshore" work. I mean the development of communication and navigation systems, ship service systems, and emergency rescue infrastructure. Of course, this also includes the modernization of seaports in the Arctic and Far East regions.
By the way, on the 4th, the "Artyom" integrated transport complex in Primorsky Krai was officially launched. This complex handles containers from abroad and other regions of Russia and will also improve the efficiency of cargo transportation in the northern regions.
It is crucial for our country to develop such modern transportation and logistics centers. Their number should increase, making the delivery and processing of goods faster and more efficient. I want to emphasize that in such logistics complexes, especially advanced technologies, including autonomous driving technology, should be applied.
Next, I would like to point out: the operation of the trans-Arctic transportation corridor should first serve the interests of the Russian domestic economy and the federal subjects in the Far East, Siberia, and the Arctic, while considering cooperation between these regions and creating new opportunities for enterprises. Here, I would like to emphasize two directions with potential importance.
The first is to create modern shipbuilding centers. These centers need to be able to produce a full range of ships suitable for this route, from tugs and supply ships, to bulk carriers, ice-class liquefied gas tankers, and ultra-large icebreakers, all of which should be locally manufactured.
The second is to improve the efficiency and stability of the trans-Arctic transportation corridor, which requires us to open direct sea routes from the Siberian and Ural regions to the Arctic sea routes.
I ask the government and the Russian Federal Maritime Agency colleagues to assess the rationality of these suggestions and provide opinions.
Back in the day, mechanisms such as the "Territory of Advanced Development" provided powerful support for the economic growth and private entrepreneurship in the Far East of Russia.
I would like to remind you that the "Territory of Advanced Development Law" was passed at the end of 2014, and the mechanism itself was launched in the following year (2015). Its core goal was to create a truly globally competitive business environment for the Far East of Russia. Therefore, when we formulated the "Territory of Advanced Development" system, we drew on global best practices and investment environment construction experiences from the Asia-Pacific region and other parts of the world.
What preferential policies can this mechanism currently offer? Most of the colleagues present here have already understood, but for the convenience of foreign guests, I will explain again: first, lower social insurance contribution rates (7.6% for 10 years); federal part of corporate income tax reduced to zero for 5 years; the regional part of corporate income tax is also reduced: 0 to 5% for the first 5 years, and 10% for the next 5 years; as well as preferential tax rates for mineral resource extraction. In addition, there is a free customs zone procedure in the advanced development zones, and enterprises can enjoy partial infrastructure investment subsidies and preferential credit support.
Why did I introduce the policy conditions of the advanced development zones so detailed? Because these policies not only have unique advantages for Russian enterprises, but also have unique appeal compared to many other countries, for our colleagues and friends from all over the world.
The effectiveness of the advanced development zones tool has been verified. It has helped many investment projects to be implemented, providing systematic support for entrepreneurs and enterprises in the construction, production debugging, and reaching the designed capacity. Currently, 18 advanced development zones have been established in the Far East, with more than 300 enterprises operating in them, cumulatively investing nearly 4 trillion rubles, creating 95,000 new jobs. The government has repeatedly decided to expand the scope of specific advanced development zones to adapt to new project needs.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin meets with the Governor of Kamchatka Krai Vladimir Solodov during the 2025 Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
Now, based on the accumulated successful experience, I propose to take an aggressive measure: achieve seamless integration under the premise of safeguarding the rights and interests of existing investors. That is, implement a unified enterprise incentive system throughout the entire Far East and the Arctic, and formally implement it from January 1, 2027.
This measure aims to simplify the process for enterprises and entrepreneurs to obtain support tools and assist in the implementation of their new projects. In other words, no matter where the investor goes in any area, city, or settlement in the Far East or the Arctic, they can legally enjoy the relevant preferential policies.
I want to emphasize: during the implementation of the unified incentive system, the rights of existing investors in the advanced development zones will be fully protected. No one needs to worry about the current policies changing midway, which also includes foreign enterprises in the advanced development zones. The advanced development zones tool not only provides longer-term corporate income tax incentives, but also has what is called the "grandfather clause" (those present here are surely familiar with its meaning, but I will explain it again), i.e., enterprises can enjoy unchanged operating conditions for 15 years, and personalized services and full-time coordination for each investor (including foreign enterprises).
Currently, the relevant legal framework is ready. Starting from January 1, 2026, the international advanced development zones will be operational in the Transbaikal Krai, Amur Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, and Primorsky Krai. We invite all interested partners to seize this new opportunity.
Returning to the topic of the unified incentive system in the Far East, I would like to add one more point: what specific preferential policies, specific details, applicable periods, and industry development orientation this system includes, need to be jointly determined by the government and the colleagues of the regions in the Far East Federal District. But one thing is crucial and must be given our serious attention.
Based on the achievements achieved in the mining and processing industries, as well as the solid infrastructure framework, we must start a new stage of development in the Far East: building a future-oriented economy, greatly improving the living environment in cities and settlements, cultivating professionals needed by the market, and promoting high-tech projects. This is the essence of the new stage of development. We need to make the entire Far East a hub for high-tech projects. I think this is not difficult to understand. However, the Far East is vast and sparsely populated, and there is still a lot of room for development. To develop this land, we must rely on modern methods.
Russia has launched several national projects aimed at ensuring the country's technological leadership. I ask the government to, by the end of this year, develop and approve corresponding development plans for the Far East and the Arctic based on each national project.
To achieve technological breakthroughs, we must have the courage to improve the regulatory system and the legal framework for enterprise operations. These systems and frameworks should "open the door" for innovation, encourage the development of breakthrough solutions, and promote their trial stages, and then mass production, application in the social field, and daily life.
For example, the Sakhalin Oblast has implemented an experimental legal system that allows the acceleration of testing of autonomous driving technology. I ask the government to create conditions for the widespread use of autonomous driving technology in agricultural land, ecological protection, and natural resource utilization areas, as well as in production and logistics parks. Why not develop autonomous driving technology in these areas? There is no risk of densely populated areas, and the practical needs also call for the application of this technology. For example, forest fires in Russia often occur hundreds of kilometers away from emergency response centers, and autonomous driving technology can be used in such areas.
On this vast land, there are other possibilities for applying modern technology, and we should promote the implementation of technology in these areas. This requires the support of the corresponding talent. How do we cultivate the required talent? We must create favorable living conditions so that people are willing to settle here; we must develop social and cultural causes, etc. Otherwise, we cannot attract such talent, and naturally, there will be no people who can drive technological development. This is a systematic task.
Evidently, such measures are needed not only in Sakhalin Oblast, but also in other regions of the Far East (such as Amur Oblast, Transbaikal Krai, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, etc.).
Therefore, I think that the experimental legal system related to autonomous driving systems can be promoted to all regions of the Far East, and first expand its scope to the fields of digital platform applications, artificial intelligence, and data flow.
On April 9, 2025, in the Moscow region, at the Natcar company's autonomous articulated truck launch ceremony on the Central Ring Road (TsKAD), a Kamaz truck cab was displayed.
This June, I emphasized at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum that it is crucial to fully utilize the advantages of e-commerce platforms. I propose that in the framework of the experimental legal system, the infrastructure of domestic information platforms be included in the national and municipal procurement in the education sector.
Furthermore, the Far East should become a pilot area for Russia's digital development, especially in the field of data flow, of course, with the premise of ensuring the confidentiality and security of data flow. We have always been discussing this topic, and we will certainly mention it again at the artificial intelligence forum held around the end of this year. I expect the government to propose relevant recommendations.
Next, in order to promote technological research and development and application, and to build modern production facilities, by 2030, Russia will establish no fewer than 100 industrial parks, business parks, and technology parks with the necessary sites and supporting facilities. Among them, at least 10 such parks need to be built in the Far East and the Arctic. I believe that the modern infrastructure and resources of these parks will meet the needs of enterprises at the project initiation stage and implementing forward-looking plans, including those planning to produce alternative imported products (such as building materials, medical equipment, vehicles, etc.).
To encourage the development of local industries, it is necessary to create conditions for the broader application of compensation contracts. Compensation contracts refer to investors investing in the construction of new factories, new workshops, and new enterprises under the guarantee of government orders. In addition, it is also necessary to promote the practice of inter-regional compensation contracts, i.e., establishing production bases in one federal subject, and supplying products directly to multiple regions according to guaranteed orders.
Another topic that needs to be discussed separately is the financing of innovative ideas and new technology projects. For this, not only the government needs to act, but also private investors need to actively participate, attracting venture capital. The "Rise" Foundation (Фонд Восход) is a successful case, which has supported about 40 enterprises involved in robot technology, medical technology, and aerospace technology.
I ask the government colleagues to carefully study the experience of this foundation and assist it in expanding its business, helping the development of Russia's technology-leading projects. Please prioritize this work.
In general, I think it is necessary to build a transparent, modern, and efficient financial ecosystem in the Far East. The Eastern Exchange (Восточная биржа) has already been put into operation, which is essentially the securities center of the Far East. I propose to formulate a further development plan for this exchange, including improving financial channels, regulatory systems, and measures to incentivize the issuance of corporate stocks.
Dear colleagues!
The development of the Far East and the Arctic, and the construction of a future-oriented economy, should enhance people's well-being and income levels, and promote the transformation of the employment structure towards high-skilled, high-paying positions. This is the internal logic and core significance of implementing this strategy in these regions, as well as throughout the country. I emphasize again: Russia's economy must become a high-wage economy. This is not empty talk, nor a populist slogan, but has substantial economic significance.
Over the past 10 years, the average wage in the Far East has increased by 2.5 times; last year, the monthly nominal wage in the region exceeded 100,000 rubles. The regional unemployment rate dropped from 7% to 2.4%, and the poverty rate in all subjects of the Far East Federal District decreased. Although the poverty rate in most regions is still higher than the national average, this area still needs to strive; but overall, the development trend is good and positive. From 2014 to 2024, the national poverty rate in Russia dropped from 11.3% to 7.2%; while in some parts of the Far East, the poverty rate has already fallen below the national average: Sakhalin Oblast at 5.3%, Magadan Oblast at 5.9%, and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug at 4.4%.
I would like to point out specifically: We all remember that at the end of the last century, due to the difficulties in the economic and social fields, the Far East began to experience population outflow. This was a highly threatening trend, and reversing it was not easy. But we did it, although the process was slow, but we really achieved results.
I will list a set of representative data: from 2014, the total population outflow in the Far East was 211,000 over 5 years; in the next 5 years, the outflow population dropped to 109,000, the number is still considerable, but has been reduced by nearly half. More importantly, in 2024, the Far East saw the first population inflow, although the scale is small (24,000 people), but this trend change itself is a major achievement.
Especially noteworthy is that a large number of young people from all over the country are coming to the Far East. Since 2015, the net inflow of young people aged 20 to 24 has continued for 9 years; last year alone, the net inflow of this age group increased by more than twice compared to the previous year.
What does this indicate? It indicates that here, people can get attractive careers, find high-paying jobs, settle down, solve housing problems, start families, and raise children. It indicates that the Far East is building the future of Russia. The youth population feels this, sees the opportunities, and makes the corresponding choices.
We will continue to develop the secondary and higher education system in the Far East, always adjusting the educational direction according to the talent needs of enterprises and institutions, and predicting the labor market demand in combination with the development trends of emerging and promising economic fields.
We have agreed to build university campuses in Nossyak, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Yakutsk, Khabarovsk, Blagoveshchensk, Ulan-Ude, Zabaikalsk, etc., to build the second campus of the Far East University, and to create world-class campuses in the Arctic region (Murmansk, Arkhangelsk). In short, we will create all conditions for the people to obtain quality, modern knowledge.
Of course, we not only support those who plan to come to the Far East, but also support those who are born and live here, who work here, and who use their hands to build the Far East (and thus expand the entire Russia).
We must ensure that the quality of life of the people of the Far East and their families continues to improve steadily. This is the core issue and the foundation for building a future-oriented economy.
Over the next 10 years, the Far East must achieve standards higher than the national average in terms of housing affordability, urban environment, environmental protection, and social services.
As you know, to achieve this goal, we have developed development master plans for 22 cities and city clusters in the Far East. These plans cover urban economic development tasks, aiming to create a modern, truly comfortable living environment, including updating housing and municipal infrastructure, building public spaces, parks, tree-lined avenues, children's playgrounds, and sports facilities, and modernizing social services.
The master plan is being implemented gradually. So far, more than 160 projects have been completed within the framework of the master plan, including the riverside promenade and children's science and technology park in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the stadium in Ulan-Ude, the indoor ice rink in Nakhodka, and the completion of the Kamchatka Regional Hospital. Of course, the successful implementation of the master plan depends on the efficiency of collaboration at the local level, including how to scientifically coordinate the management of city clusters covering multiple municipal units.
Komsomolsk Street View
I ask the government and colleagues in the regions to conduct pilot tests of such collaboration mechanisms in the Vladivostok city cluster, and to formalize them in legislation by 2030 after summarizing the experience.
Before the end of this decade, more than 600 additional projects will be added to the master plan framework for the Far East and the Arctic. During the construction of these projects, advanced solutions must be used in both design and construction. In addition, to ensure the funding needs of the master plan, we have agreed to establish a special department within the national projects to serve the master plan for the Far East and the Arctic, and to allocate 5% of the expenditures from social sectors and infrastructure-related national projects to implement the master plan projects.
I ask the Ministry of Finance to pay attention to this decision that has been determined: although the work requires careful sorting of various plans, the funds must be allocated in full at the 5% ratio to solve the actual problems faced by the regions.
Additionally, at the previous forum, I had instructed to set aside a special treasury infrastructure loan quota for the master plan of the cities in the Far East and the Arctic. By 2030, 100 billion rubles will be used for this purpose, focusing on the construction and renovation of infrastructure.
At present, the regions are screening relevant projects, and the government is also studying the projects. I want to emphasize particularly: these funds are additionally allocated outside the existing "infrastructure list" tool of the Far East, which covers the national welfare fund, infrastructure bonds, the "Modernization of Municipal Infrastructure" and "Housing" federal projects financing channels. All of these will make an important contribution to the development of housing in the Far East, providing more housing for the families in the Far East.
In 2015, the completed housing area in the Far East was 2.9 million square meters, and last year this number was 4.7 million square meters. This growth is due to the "Far East Quarter" mechanism (providing preferential treatment for developers), and more importantly, the "Far East and Arctic Mortgage Loan" policy, which has an initial interest rate of 2%, initially covering young families, families with multiple children, and participants in the "Far East and Arctic Hectare Plan". To date, more than 165,000 mortgage loans have been issued under this policy. We have extended the validity of the policy until 2030, and expanded the scope of application to participants in special military operations, defense industry workers, medical staff, and educators, while relaxing the age restrictions for these groups.
I need to specially explain: not only teachers, but all staff of public and municipal educational institutions in the Far East and the Arctic should be eligible for the 2% interest rate mortgage loan. Please ask the government to make corresponding revisions to the relevant regulations. Even in the current situation, this loan burden is completely manageable, and I urge the implementation of this request.
I also propose to expand the scope of the "Far East and Arctic Mortgage Loan" program from the new housing market to the second-hand housing market, but only for cities where no new residential buildings are being constructed and developers have no available housing. Of course, when implementing, the construction year and condition of the second-hand houses should be considered. Please colleagues carefully study this issue.
We have previously discussed similar issues in other regions. The second-hand housing market in the Far East obviously should also apply this preferential policy. If there is no new housing in the local area, how can the residents solve their housing problems? Please study and implement this decision.
Housing is one of the key issues in improving the population structure. The Far East provides additional subsidies for families with third children: the national standard is 450,000 rubles, while the Far East is 1,000,000 rubles, which has sufficient rationality. It is precisely the combined effect of these policies that has brought the positive results I mentioned earlier, namely, the continuous influx of young people.
This subsidy policy was initially implemented in Primorsky Krai, and then expanded to another 7 regions. Currently, the proportion of families in the Far East with three or more children is about 25% higher than the national average, which is an important indicator. Since this 1,000,000 ruble subsidy can be used to repay the mortgage loan, I think the "Far East and Arctic Mortgage Loan" should be extended to all families in the Far East with three or more children. I emphasize: the policy should cover all families with multiple children, without age restrictions for parents. Previously, we had a 35-year age limit, but now women of 35, 40, or even older ages are still giving birth. May they be healthy and smooth. The more children, the better for us.
Of course, families in the Far East (especially those with children) should be able to conveniently access social service facilities: clinics, kindergartens, schools, and hospitals. In remote towns and settlements in the Far East, the "enterprise-led construction" model should be implemented, specifically, by strategic partners who implement large investment projects and carry out large-scale production in the local area, who will build these social facilities.
I would like to remind you: last year, we decided to establish a convenient mechanism that allows enterprises to build social facilities simultaneously while constructing factories, and to self-fund the construction, and then transfer it to the regional or municipal departments, and the enterprise's investment will be compensated through tax returns from the enterprise's future operations.
I ask the government to pay attention to this matter, Igor Ivanovich (Igor Ivanovich is the current head of the Russian State Development Corporation), and please keep an eye on it. We need to work with the Russian State Development Corporation to widely promote this mechanism, including using budget resources for investment tax reductions, actively using public-private partnerships and concession models.
Under this context, I expect the Russian State Development Corporation to actively participate in the improvement of the concession and public-private partnership mechanisms. Specifically, it means developing national standards and financing models in this field, ensuring that the cooperation conditions between the government and enterprises in public welfare projects are open, transparent, and clear. This mechanism is not complicated and will not place a heavy burden on the fiscal budget, and is fully feasible.
Dear colleagues!
Russia's Far East and the entire Asia-Pacific region are in a period of rapid change and development. We must maintain the positive momentum of this change, optimize the domestic economic structure, improve the technical level in all fields, and more efficiently tap into the resources, production, logistics, and scientific research potential of the Far East and the entire country.
For this, we need to actively try, widely promote bold and innovative solutions, and promptly reflect them in laws and regulations, business environment optimization, and improvements in people's livelihood.
Such measures have proven their value in the Far East and the Arctic. We will continue to push forward these works, adjust the direction according to the needs of the people, the needs of enterprises and regional development, and ensure the national interests of Russia.
Certainly, this work requires a systematic and holistic approach, a forward-looking vision and strategic insight. We need to set grand goals and formulate practical implementation plans. Therefore, I ask the government to formulate and approve the "Long-Term Development Strategy for the Far East Federal District by 2036" within one year after this forum.
The work in the Far East and the Arctic is arduous, and there are still a lot of tasks waiting for us to complete. In this regard, I would like to especially emphasize to foreign friends and esteemed colleagues that we open our doors to all partners who are willing to participate in this cause.
Thank you for your attention. Thank you.
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