Suchergebnisse

Current studies on China's food security are largely based on the perspective of grain self-sufficiency, and discuss whether China can feed itself at the national level through its grain production. As a result, the Chinese grain self-sufficiency policy of maintaining a self-sufficiency rate of above 95% tends to be regarded as a benchmark for evaluating China's food security status. However, recent studies and documents indicate that China is having dculty adhering to its grain self-sufficiency policy and, therefore, is looking for overseas agricultural resources to support its increasing demand for grain. Today, China has become a major player in investing in farmland in foreign countries for grain production. During 2007-2013, at least 5.3 million hectares of overseas farmland, equal to 5% of its domestic sown land for grain crops in 2011, were secured and operated by Chinese firms. Accordingly, China's grain demand will be largely supported by Chinese-owned farmlands both locally and over-seas, resulting in a new scenario for China's grain policy, that of being self-supporting. This practice of importing more grain from Chinese-owned farm-lands abroad will eventually affect China's long-standing norm of seeking to maintain a 95% grain self-sufficiency rate. Thus, important questions have been raised: How does China acquire farmlands overseas? To what extent does the shifting Chinese grain policy challenge international norms? In response to this developing and ongoing story of China's policy shift from self-sufficiency to being self-supporting, this paper argues that China's adjustment in terms of its food security policy not only further secures its grain supply, but also influences international norms. An important finding of this paper is China's reliance on government-supported companies and bilateral agreements, not only to safeguard production stemming from investments, but also to influence the regional food security status. (Issues Stud/GIGA)

Hearings on H. R. 11129, 13171, and S. 856, to provide for Federal Government recognition of and participation in international expositions proposed to be held in the United States, and for other purposes. ; Mode of access: Internet.

The concept of scaffolding suggests that with appropriate assistance, a learner could attain a goal or engage in a practice otherwise out of reach (Davis & Miyake, 2004). Previous studies have explored scaffolding between or among individuals (e.g., Wood, et al., 1976; Palincsar & Brown, 1984). This paper examined scaffolding that could happen at an inter-group level. A group of 22 Hong Kong primary five students collaborated with a group of 22 Canada grade five students through an online discussion forum. Although they were of the same grade, it was the first year for Hong Kong students to engage in online discussion activities, while Canada students were much experienced in this type of learning activities. As Pea (2004) argued that "fading", which was the removal of supports to let learners act on their own, was as an essential component of scaffolding, this study incorporated a three-phase design so that fading could be studied in addition to the effect of scaffolding. In phase one, Hong Kong students discussed among themselves on the forum. In phase two, Canada students joined in the discussion with Hong Kong students. In phase three, Canada students were no longer present on the forum while Hong Kong students continued to discuss among themselves. To analyze the interaction patterns of the students, social network analysis was employed in the present study. It was found that in phase one, Hong Kong students tended to write isolated notes and work on their own topic; while in phase two, with the joining in of Canada students, the interaction pattern changed drastically, with the notes were linked with one another, even among those written by Hong Kong students. In phase three, although Canada students were no longer present on the discussion forum, the interaction pattern retained among Hong Kong students that their notes were linked with one another. The study suggested that with a more experienced group, the interaction pattern of a novice group in online discussion could be changed and the changed pattern could retain even the experienced group no longer present. ; published_or_final_version ; Centre of Information Technology in Education, University of Hong Kong and Education and Manpower Bureau, the Government of the Hong Kong SAR