VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. Russia’s two-headed eagle looks not only west and east, but also toward the south, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"You mentioned that our eagle is looking somewhere - east, west. But there is also south," Putin said, replying to a question by the plenary session’s moderator whether the eagle’s two heads are beginning to look in the same direction.

The president emphasized that cooperation with Russia’s partners in the Asia-Pacific and the Global South is not driven by the current political climate. As an example, he pointed to collaboration with Chinese President Xi Jinping, which began 20 years ago. "This stems from shared interests. Our economies complement one another. We are neighbors, with many common interests, similar approaches, and traditional values," Putin said.

"We have good-neighborly relations with many countries - both with the People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia. There are small but rapidly developing countries, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, with which we have special ties over decades. Why can’t we use all of this? This is not a turnaround. This is a reaction to active processes underway in the world and the global economy," Putin said.

The 10th Eastern Economic Forum is taking place in Vladivostok from September 3 to 6 under the theme "The Far East: Cooperation for Peace and Prosperity." The business program will feature more than 100 thematic sessions divided into seven tracks. The forum is expected to bring together over 4,500 participants from more than 70 countries and territories. The Roscongress Foundation is the organizer of the EEF, with TASS as its general information partner.