The author sees in trans-border cooperation an indispensable (though not the only) lever to be applied for the acceleration of economic development of Russian Far East. A number of theoretical and practical problems pertaining to the said cooperation and topical for the region, are discussed in the article. Special attention is given to questions of institutionally ensuring trans-border regional activity. Proposals are formulated, as to reforming the administrative-territorial division of the Far East, as to certain economic autonomy to be granted to the region. In his judgments, M.Yu.Shinkovsky proceeds from the general premise that Russia is to turn Eastward.