MOSCOW, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled a new development strategy for the Far East on Thursday, positioning the region as a strategic gateway for cooperation with Asia-Pacific nations.
Speaking at the plenary session of the 11th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin said that the Far East region has attracted 25 trillion rubles (around 287.9 billion U.S. dollars) in investment over the past 11 years, with its gross regional product more than tripling.
"Our strategic line is for the Far East to be a territory of cooperation and dynamic change across the economy and infrastructure, in the development of technology and personnel training and, of course, in the social sphere," Putin said.
Meanwhile, Putin stressed the importance of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, which is expected to handle 70 million tons of cargo annually by 2030, linking Russia's St. Petersburg and Murmansk with Vladivostok and onward to Asian markets.
"Our goal is to make navigation on the route year-round. To that end, we are building icebreakers and ice-class vessels, developing service and rescue fleets, expanding our satellite network and upgrading port facilities," Putin said.
He also highlighted the importance of regional environmental protection and tourism development.
The forum runs from Sept. 1 to 4. ■