Sino-African relations have been characterized by close economic cooperation, with both parties seeking mutual benefits from their partnership. China has become a major trading partner and investor in Africa, while African countries have been able to access much-needed investment and development assistance from China. With China as the largest and most populous developing nation worldwide, and Africa with the highest concentration of developing countries, so there is mutual comprehensive development cooperation.
My paper addresses an issue that is rarely discussed in the economics literature: how does the economic actors' trust in each other and in the legal and political institutions affect a country's economic performance? The first part of the paper is an empirical analysis of the interrelationship between confidence in institutions in different countries, the economic actors' willingness to cooperate with each other and with state institutions, and their decisions' time horizon on the one hand, and the countries' economic performance on the other. I compare the relevant indicators of Central and East European countries (CEE countries), the advanced Western countries and some Asian countries. I show that the low level of trust, the lack of cooperation among the economic actors and with their state institutions, and the short-term time horizon of economic decisions in CEE countries are at the root of how these countries can cope with the current financial and economic crisis.The second part of the paper applies the theoretical models of mechanism design to the issues discussed in the first part. I demonstrate that government policy results in "perverse incentives" toward the economic actors if they do not have confidence in their economic institutions.
This book examines China's digital economy and its presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Drawing on the political economy of the media, industry analysis, platform studies and cultural policy studies, the book shows that China's commercial digital platforms are increasingly recognized outside China and can disseminate Chinese culture more effectively than government-supported media.
Indo-Pacific has emerged as a region of great movement, conflict and cooperation, contestations and coalition-building. The emergence of minilateral and multilateral cooperation by the middle powers is increasing in the region, with the regional countries enthusiastically mapping the region focussing on their centrality. History proves that the role of middle-power countries became more prominent during the moments of international transition. The two contrasting powers like India and Australia; one with a post-colonial identity in foreign policy-making, subtle emphasis on non-aligned movement (NAM) and emerging as an influential power, and, on the other, a traditional middle power with an alliance structure and regionalism akin to the Western model, have equal stakes in the region and it is inevitable for them to take a leadership position in building what is called a middle power communion in the Indo-Pacific. This article will explore the understanding of middle powers and how India and Australia, as middle powers; are strategically placed and, being great powers within their respective regions; take the responsibility of region-building and maintaining peace with great powers, and how the Indo-Pacific and Quad are emerging as discourses within their foreign policy-making.
A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more.Provincializing Empire explores the global history of Japanese expansion through a regional lens. It rethinks the nation-centered geography and chronology of empire by uncovering the pivotal role of expeditionary merchants from !2;mi (present-day Shiga Prefecture) and their modern successors. Tracing their lives from the early modern era, and writing them into the global histories of empire, diaspora, and capitalism, Jun Uchida offers an innovative analysis of expansion through a story previously untold: how the nation's provincials built on their traditions to create a transpacific diaspora that stretched from Seoul to Vancouver, while helping shape the modern world of transoceanic exchange
The Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment 2021 provides insight into key regional strategic, geopolitical, economic, military and security topics. Among the topics explored are: USChina decoupling and its regional security implications; Japan's security policy and China; India's emerging grand strategy; Southeast Asia amid rising great-power rivalry; Australia's new regional security posture; NATO's evolving approach to China; The United Kingdom's tilt' to the Indo-Pacific; and Emerging technologies and future conflict in the Asia-Pacific. Authors include leading regional analysts and academics Kanti Bajpai, Gordon Flake, Franz-Stefan Gady, Prashanth Parameswaran, Alessio Patalano, Samir Puri, Sarah Raine, Tan See Seng, Drew Thompson, Ashley Townshend, Joanne Wallis and Robert Ward.
