Cooperation of Russia with APAC countries in the field of nuclear medicine as a tool of «soft power» (on example of projects of state corporation «Rosatom»)

The article examines the application of the concept of “soft power” in Russia’s foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region through the prism of cooperation in the field of nuclear medicine. Attention is focused on the activities of Rosatom State Corporation, the state’s leading holding company in the field of nuclear energy, in the dissemination of Russian nuclear technologies and the establishment of medical infrastructure facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of Russia’s cooperation with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region through the activities of Rosatom State Corporation in the field of nuclear medicine as a tool for implementing “soft power”. The research methodology includes an analysis of documents, materials from official sources and the media, and a comparative analysis of Rosatom State Corporation programs in the Asia-Pacific region. The study uses the concept of “soft power” proposed by Harvard University Professor J. Nye in 1990, which consists in achieving foreign policy goals through the organization of mutually beneficial cooperation and the spread of influence by creating a positive image of the state. In Russia’s foreign policy, this concept is interpreted as “humanitarian cooperation”. One of the methods of “soft power” in Russian foreign policy is the promotion of Russian technologies related to peaceful atom on international markets, including the markets of the Asia-Pacific region. Nuclear medicine is one of the most sought-after innovative humanitarian areas of cooperation between states. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the application of the concept of “soft power” to Rosatom Group’s projects in the Asia Pacific region. For the first time, Rosatom State Corporation projects in the field of nuclear medicine in the Asia-Pacific region have been studied from the point of view of their use as tools for implementing “soft power” in Russia’s foreign policy. The main conclusion of the study is that Rosatom State Corporation, offering advanced technologies in the field of diagnosis and treatment of various diseases, contributes to the improvement of healthcare systems in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. This, in turn, creates a positive image of Russia as a reliable partner, strengthens humanitarian ties and creates favorable conditions for the development of cooperation in other areas of nuclear energy. The implementation of Rosatom’s projects in the field of nuclear medicine demonstrates the potential of this area to expand Russia’s positive influence in the Asia-Pacific region based on mutually beneficial partnership.

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