Alexey Efimov has been appointed Head of the School of Asian Studies at the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs. He brings with him 18 years of experience of living and working in China. Alexey Efimov was involved in opening the RIA Novosti bureau in the People’s Republic of China, took part in establishing the Sputnik China news agency, and from 2019 served as Deputy Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in China. Elizaveta Trubnikova spoke with Alexey Efimov in an interview that sheds light on how a career path from analyst to journalist and diplomat in China shapes one’s understanding of the East, why soft skills are crucial for today’s international affairs professionals, and what prospects lie ahead for the development of the School of Asian Studies.