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Is Russia a Great Power in Asia?

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Great Powers and Geopolitics

Part of the book series: Global Power Shift ((GLOBAL))

Abstract

Moscow’s professed interest in regional security is first and foremost an effort to leverage its geographical position and attributes of great power standing, membership in the Security Council, vast energy reserves, nuclear weapons, geographical expanse, etc. for purposes of global standing. Ultimately Russian policy remains rhetorical rather than an actual policy capable of being carried out through practical action. The central argument presented in this chapter is that despite Russia’s obsession with and craving for recognition of the status of a recognized great power in Asia, it still falls short. Western policy omits Russia as a factor in Asian security, while Washington in particular steadily refuses to view Russia as an Asian great power.

“Russia deserves to be a great power”—Boris Yeltsin

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Gabuyev and Chernenko (2013).

  2. 2.

    “Russia is Under-represented in Asia, Moscow, Kommersant, November 29, 2011, FBIS SOV, November 29, 2011.

  3. 3.

    As stated at the Korea Economic Institute conference, October 22, 2010, American University, Washington, DC.

  4. 4.

    Lo (2010), pp. 8, 12.

  5. 5.

    Borodavkin (2011), pp. 28–32; Brutents, pp. 84–100.

  6. 6.

    Borodavkin (2011), pp. 13–14.

  7. 7.

    Borodavkin (2011), p. 14.

  8. 8.

    Hill and Lo (2013).

  9. 9.

    Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Speech to the International Institute of Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore, June 1, 2013, http://www.defense.gov/speeches/speech.aspx?speechid=1785 completely ignores Russia in discussing Asia-Pacific security. As one State Department official told the author in 1995, “We will have a policy for Russia in Asia when Russia has a policy for Russia in Asia.”

  10. 10.

    Blank (2012a), pp. 249–266.

  11. 11.

    Cooper and Flemes (2013), p. 946.

  12. 12.

    Feldman (2013), p. 107.

  13. 13.

    Wang and French (2013), p. 985.

  14. 14.

    Paul Goble, “Window on Eurasia: Russia Stands to Lose World Power Status by 2020, IMEMO Director Says,” Johnson’s Russia List, September 21, 2010.

  15. 15.

    One cannot emphasize this point strongly enough for these elites cling to this belief as if it were the bedrock or foundation of a religious faith even if they are wholly secularized in their view of world politics.

  16. 16.

    Spasskiy (2011), p. 23.

  17. 17.

    Loewenhardt (2000), p. 171.

  18. 18.

    Rogov (1997), p. 10.

  19. 19.

    For Trenin’s views and other such expressions see, E-mail Letter from Darrell Hammer, Johnson’s Russia List, February 5, 1997, Trenin (1997), E-Mail Transmission; Waller (1997a), pp. 2–6; (1997b), pp. 4–7.

  20. 20.

    Tsygankov (2005), pp. 132–158.

  21. 21.

    Ushakov (2007)

  22. 22.

    Trenin (2013).

  23. 23.

    Fenenko (2013); Rogov (2013)

  24. 24.

    Blank (2012a, 2012b), pp. 25–36.

  25. 25.

    Radyuhin (2013).

  26. 26.

    Rosefielde (2007).

  27. 27.

    Dittmer (2003), p. 39.

  28. 28.

    Freedman, pp. 22–35, Neumann, “Russia as a Great Power,” pp. 13–28.

  29. 29.

    Blank and Rubinstein (1997).

  30. 30.

    Secrieru (2006), 19.

  31. 31.

    Trenin (2009), pp. 4–5.

  32. 32.

    Lukin (2007), pp. 167–193.

  33. 33.

    Anderman et al. (2007), p. 32.

  34. 34.

    “Speech by Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin to the Russian International Studies Association,” Moscow, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, www.mid.ru, in English, September 27, 2010, FBIS SOV, September 27, 2010.

  35. 35.

    “Speech by Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin to the Russian International Studies Association,” Moscow, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, www.mid.ru, in English, September 27, 2010, FBIS SOV, September 27, 2010.

  36. 36.

    Lavrov (2010), pp. 13–14.

  37. 37.

    Lavrov (2010), pp. 13–22.

  38. 38.

    Hill and Lo (2013).

  39. 39.

    Moscow, ITAR-TASS, in English, December 18, 2009, FBIS SOV, December 18, 2009.

  40. 40.

    Artem Lukin, in Hawaii books.

  41. 41.

    “Programma Effektivnoe Ispol’zovnaiya Na Susteme Osnove Vneshnepoliticheskikh Faktorov v Tselakh Dolgosrochnogo Razvitiia Rossisskoi Federatsii,” Russky Newsweek May 10–16, 2010, http://www.runewsweek.ru/country/34184/

  42. 42.

    Wallander (2005).

  43. 43.

    Wolfers (1962), pp. 73–77.

  44. 44.

    Toward the Great Ocean—2, or Russia’s Breakthrough to Asia, Valdai Club, 2013, http://valdaiclub.com/publication/67120.html

  45. 45.

    Benjamin J. Cohen, “Finance and Security in East Asia”; Miles Kahler, “Regional Economic Institutions and East Asian Security,” both in Goldstein and Mansfield (2013), pp. 50–55, and 66–95.

  46. 46.

    Lieber (2013/14), p. 15.

  47. 47.

    This is the subject of a future paper by the author.

  48. 48.

    Blank (2014a, 2014b).

  49. 49.

    Wang and French (2013), pp. 985–999.

  50. 50.

    Lukyanov (2010).

  51. 51.

    Trenin (2007); Bell (2005), p. 36.

  52. 52.

    Ambrosio (2005), pp. 1189–1210.

  53. 53.

    Legvold (1997), p. 67.

  54. 54.

    Lo, Axis of Convenience, p. 240.

  55. 55.

    Ferguson (2008).

  56. 56.

    Vladimir Putin Took Part in the APEC CEO Summit.” http://eng.kremlin.ru/transcripts/6086, October 7, 2013; “Russian President Addresses South Korea Business Forum, “ www.kremlin.ru, in Russian, November 13, 2013, FBIS SOV, November 13, 2013; Moscow, Interfax, in English, November 12, 2013, Open Source Center, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Central Eurasia, Henceforth, FBIS SOV, November 12, 2013; Seoul, Yonhap, in English, November 12, 2013, FBIS SOV, November 12, 2013; Aleksandr’ Zhebin, “Russia-DPRK: People Do Not Choose Their Neighbors. Pyongyang Ready to Be Friends with Moscow Again,” Moscow, Nezavisimaya Gazeta Online, in Russian, October 14, 2013, FBS SOV, October 14, 2013.

    Moscow, Interfax-AVN Online, in English, October 11, 2013, FBIS SOV, October 11, 2013.

  57. 57.

    Hill and Lo (2013).

  58. 58.

    Hill and Lo (2013).

  59. 59.

    Anderman et al. (2007), p. 35.

  60. 60.

    “Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on the Current International Situation and Major International Issues,” Beijing, Xinhua Domestic Service in Chinese, June 16, 2011, Open Source Center, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Central Eurasia (Henceforth FBIS-SOV), June 16, 2011.

  61. 61.

    Robert Karniol, “Russia’s Place in Asia-Pac Security Set-Up,” Singapore, The Straits times Online, in English, June 22, 2011, FBIS SOV, June 22, 2011; Moscow, Interfax, in English June 6, 2011, FBIS SOV, June 6, 2011.

  62. 62.

    “China, Russia Call for Efforts in Asia-Pacific Security,” China Daily, September 28, 2010.

  63. 63.

    Conversations with US analysts, Washington, D.C, March, 2011; Shukla (2011); Lavrov (2011), pp. 3–5.

  64. 64.

    European Security Treaty, www.kremlin.ru, November 29, 2009.

  65. 65.

    Blank (2012b).

  66. 66.

    Blank (2012a, 2012b).

  67. 67.

    Chongkittavorn (2013).

  68. 68.

    Chongkittavorn (2013).

  69. 69.

    Chongkittavorn (2013).

  70. 70.

    Lo (2010), pp. 13–14.

  71. 71.

    President Vladimir Putin, “Speech and the Following Discussion at the Munich Conference on Security,” www.kremlin.ru, February 12, 2007.

  72. 72.

    President Vladimir Putin, “Speech and the Following Discussion at the Munich Conference on Security, February 10, 2007”, www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/02/10/0138;

  73. 73.

    Rangismaporn (2009).

  74. 74.

    “Interview With Sergei Yastrzhemskiy”, Moscow: Rossiyskaya Gazeta, in Russian, February 22, 2007, Open Source Center, Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Central Eurasia (Henceforth FBIS-SOV), February 22, 2007.

  75. 75.

    Ushakov (2007).

  76. 76.

    Guifeng and Tiegang (2000).

  77. 77.

    Hong Kong, Tai Yang Pao, in Chinese, July 24, 2000, FBIS SOV, July 24, 2000.

  78. 78.

    Ilya Kedrov and Dmitry Kosyrev, “Will Putin’s First Visit Be to China? He Is Also Awaited in India, Japan, and Other Countries”, Moscow, Nezavisimaya Gazeta, in Russian, March 2, 2000, FBIS SOV, March 2, 2000.

  79. 79.

    “Media Treatment of Putin Visit Signals Beijing Intent to Continue Boosting Ties”], FBIS SOV, August 2, 2000.

  80. 80.

    Speech Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov to the IISS Shangri-la Conference, Singapore, June, 2011, http://www.iiss.org/conferences/the-shangri-la-dialogue/shangri-la-dialogue-2011/speeches/sixth-plenary-session/sergei-ivanov/.

  81. 81.

    Speech Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov to the IISS Shangri-la Conference, Singapore, June, 2011, http://www.iiss.org/conferences/the-shangri-la-dialogue/shangri-la-dialogue-2011/speeches/sixth-plenary-session/sergei-ivanov/ .

  82. 82.

    Karasin (1996).

  83. 83.

    Karasin (1996).

  84. 84.

    Moscow, ITAR-TASS, in English, April 20, 2000, FBIS SOV, April 20, 2000.

  85. 85.

    Moscow, ITAR-TASS, in English, April 20, 2000, FBIS SOV, April 20, 2000.

  86. 86.

    Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, February 11, 2000.

  87. 87.

    Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, February 11, 2000.

  88. 88.

    Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation, February 12, 2013, http://www.mid.ru/bdomp/brp_4.nsf/e78a48070f128a7b43256999005bcbb3/76389fec168189ed44257b2e0039b16d!OpenDocument.

  89. 89.

    Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation, February 12, 2013, http://www.mid.ru/bdomp/brp_4.nsf/e78a48070f128a7b43256999005bcbb3/76389fec168189ed44257b2e0039b16d!OpenDocument.

  90. 90.

    Hill and Lo (2013).

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  1. American Foreign Policy Institute, Washington, DC, USA

    Stephen Blank

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  1. Tel-Aviv University, Department of Political Science, Ramat-Aviv, Israel

    Aharon Klieman

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Blank, S. (2015). Is Russia a Great Power in Asia?. In: Klieman, A. (eds) Great Powers and Geopolitics. Global Power Shift. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16289-8_8

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