The article assesses China’s technological sovereignty in high-tech industries that form the ecosystem of physical artificial intelligence and its readiness to develop intelligent robotics. The aim of the study is to identify changes in China’s position in the global value chains of these industries through a comprehensive analysis of foreign value added used in production, including its sectoral and regional structure. The methodological framework comprises an analysis of the Backward Participation Index based on the OECD TiVA database for 2008–2022, a comparison of foreign trade indicators from Trade Map for 2008–2025, and an analysis of China’s position in the global industrial robotics market. The study covers electronics, electrical equipment, machinery, telecommunications, software, information services, and scientific and technical activities. It finds that China has significantly reduced its dependence on foreign value added across all examined industries by diversifying supplies and strengthening its position in the production of key components. The number of product categories in which China is a net importer has decreased substantially. Advanced semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment remain the most vulnerable links. In industrial robotics, China has become the world’s largest market and is expanding domestic production; in 2024, Chinese companies accounted for more than half of domestic sales. In the humanoid robotics segment, China has established a production ecosystem supported by government policies and domestic demand. The findings can be applied to assess technological resilience and the prospects for developing physical AI amid global technological decoupling. The study concludes that China is advancing toward technological sovereignty while remaining dependent on certain advanced technologies
For more than a decade, business activity in the Russian Far East (FEFD) has relied on the system of tax and social insurance incentives under the Territories of Advanced Development (TAD) and the Free Port of Vladivostok (FPV); over this period, more than 200,000 jobs were created and over 5.5 trillion rubles were invested in the region’s economy under these preferential regimes. The 2026 reform withdrew new residents’ entitlement to reduced social insurance contribution rates. The question of reinstating the reduced insurance contribution rate under the new preferential regime is therefore particularly pressing at present. This article assesses the significance of the reduced social insurance contribution rate for the investment decisions of prospective residents of the Unified Preferential Regime for the Far East and the Arctic (Unified TAD), planned for launch in 2027. The incentive’s significance is estimated using the real options method: the value of the right to implement a project is defined as the difference between the present value of the project, weighted by the probability that the investment will prove profitable, and the present value of the capital to be invested. Scenario analysis was conducted for model domestic and foreign investors across the industries most represented in the FEFD economy. Under current macroeconomic conditions, mineral extraction shows high expected profitability, which may result in such projects being excluded from eligibility for incentives under the Unified TAD. Logistics and fishing projects require the reduced insurance rate to maintain investment attractiveness, whereas for other industries the incentive cannot be regarded as a sufficient investment stimulus, particularly for foreign investors
This article examines the potential for cooperation between Russia and Southeast Asia within the framework of the global energy transition. The specifics of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Southeast Asia are analyzed. It is revealed that the scale of trade and investment interactions is currently limited. One of the key areas is energy, primarily the export of Russian energy resources (petroleum products, oil, and coal). Despite a significant decline in exports since 2022, Russia has maintained stable commodity niches in Southeast Asian markets, remaining among the main suppliers of certain commodities. It is shown that, given the accelerated growth of electricity consumption in Southeast Asia and the energy transition, accelerated growth in the natural gas market, an increase in the share of LNG imports, and large-scale development of nuclear energy are projected in the long term. A distinctive feature of Southeast Asian countries is the need for international cooperation to implement nuclear energy development programs, due to the lack of domestic technologies and expertise, and the need to attract large-scale investment. Competitive advantages and risks for Russia in expanding its presence in the LNG market and integrating into Southeast Asian nuclear energy programs are identified. The potential for increasing LNG supplies is driven by the availability of available capacity due to Russia’s exit from the European market and the expansion of LNG production in Russia; more flexible contractual terms offered by Russia to its partners; and the need for supplier diversification among Southeast Asian countries. One of the key risks is the projected global overproduction of LNG and increased competition for markets. Russia’s competitive advantages for inclusion in Southeast Asian nuclear energy programs include its leadership in the most in-demand small modular reactor technology, ongoing training programs for nuclear energy specialists, and a contract to build a nuclear power plant in Vietnam. The key risks are general in nature and are determined by international restrictions associated with the use of these technologies
