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2222. Three boards: security, economy and the new unknown. The complicated relationship between China and Central and Eastern Europe
- Author:
- Michal Lubina
- Publication Date:
- 12-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
- Institution:
- Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
- Abstract:
- Two decades ago, when China economically entered Western Europe for the first time, two dominant narratives emerged. The first one claimed that China’s involvement constitutes a great development opportunity for European continent; the other one declared that it’s a serious security threat. Those two discourses on China remain dominant until now and the opportunity vs. threat dichotomy can now also be applied to Chinese’s policy towards Central and Eastern Europe. Th e answer for the dichotomy is both. China’s engagement means a great opportunity for development for Central and Eastern Europe. Th e success, however, is uncertain. It may never fulfill due to external factors and the drawbacks may overshadow the benefits.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Security, and Economy
- Political Geography:
- China, Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, and Central Europe
2223. Chinese and Western Comedy – an Introduction into Cross-Cultural Humour Research between Taiwan, China and the West
- Author:
- Konrad Piwowarczyk
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
- Institution:
- Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
- Abstract:
- The use of humour, both proper and improper, can influence the outcomes of meetings and shape entire relationships. Hence, although often trivial in nature, humour can play a significant role in human lives and deserves to be taken seriously. The same is true when it comes to the analysis of humour across cultures. In today’s increasingly globalized world, where people from various cultures interact on an almost daily basis it is important to understand the other persons culture, including their sense of humour. Consequently, this article provides a basic overview of humour of the world’s two biggest and most prominent cultures: the English speaking West and the Sinitic world. There is no doubt Chinese and Western humour differ in history and contemporary structure, therefore this article presents the various forms of comedic expression found in both cultures, but also provides basic explanations as to the reasons behind these differences.
- Topic:
- Culture, Society, and Humor
- Political Geography:
- China, Europe, Taiwan, Asia, and United States of America
2224. Comparative Nuclear Policy: A Case Study of U.S. Impact on India and Brazil Programs (1946-2018)
- Author:
- Cristina Soreanu Pecequilo and Artur Cruz Bertolucci
- Publication Date:
- 08-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- AUSTRAL: Brazilian Journal of Strategy International Relations
- Institution:
- Postgraduate Program in International Strategic Studies, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
- Abstract:
- The knowledge regarding nuclear technology represented a new reality for the generation of energy and international security. The nuclear attacks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 represented the beginning of the so-called nuclear era and of the “balance of terror” as presented by many analysts such as Raymond Aron, deepened by the arms race in the US-Soviet bipolarity after 1947. Besides the superpowers, different countries had begun to develop their nuclear programs. The cases of Brazil and India stand out, since they develop their research agendas n the 1950s and 1960s, in the Cold War context, as a path to enhance their autonomy and bargaining power. The spread of the nuclear knowledge represented a challenge for the superpowers, and the talks for mechanisms of nuclear proliferation control such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) started. This is the context in which Brazil and India develop their nuclear programs under the impact of its bilateral relations with the US. Although, these programs were convergent at first, in the search for nuclear autonomy, adjustments are going to be observed on both policies after the end of the Cold War. The article aims to understand the importance and history of Brazil and India nuclear programs and US weight on these agendas.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Diplomacy, Nuclear Weapons, Treaties and Agreements, Military Strategy, Nuclear Power, and Denuclearization
- Political Geography:
- India, Asia, Brazil, South America, North America, and United States of America
2225. China's Global Power and Development: The Made in China 2025 Policy
- Author:
- Diego Pautasso
- Publication Date:
- 08-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- AUSTRAL: Brazilian Journal of Strategy International Relations
- Institution:
- Postgraduate Program in International Strategic Studies, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
- Abstract:
- The purpose of this article is to analyze the relationship between development and global power of China. And, more specifically, how the Made in China 2025 policy is designed to deepen China’s development by driving strategic sectors of smart manufacturing and other innovations. To do so, it needs to understand how China has taken advantage of systemic changes since the 1970s to unleash a cycle of comprehensive reforms mobilizing industrial, commercial and technological (ICT) policies. That is, without state emulation there is no economic complexity or expansion of the country’s presence in the world. The proposed argument is that the interweaving between the internal and international dimensions compose the key of the rise of the powers - imperative underestimated by the narratives of liberal globalization - whose epicenter remains the national development.
- Topic:
- Development, Globalization, Science and Technology, Hegemony, Manufacturing, and Industrialization
- Political Geography:
- China and Asia
2226. Behind the Myth of the National Bourgeoisie: A Comparative Analysis of the Developmentalist State in Brazil and South Korea
- Author:
- Pedro Brites and Bruna Coelho Jaeger
- Publication Date:
- 08-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- AUSTRAL: Brazilian Journal of Strategy International Relations
- Institution:
- Postgraduate Program in International Strategic Studies, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
- Abstract:
- Since the 1990s, many analysts have sought to explain the differences in development paths between Brazil and South Korea, the latter often being pointed as an example of success. As a highly industrialized economy focused on international trade, the South Korean case stood out as a way of overcoming the backwardness of developing countries. However, there is a need for analysis that point to the specificities of the developmental state in South Korea, whose interventionist action was decisive in leveraging the country’s industrial production in accordance with internal business groups, as well as the geopolitical context favorable to outward-oriented industrialization. The Brazilian process, in turn, due to the wealth of natural resources and the large domestic market, has made the induction of the state in industrialization more artificial, whose policy supposes an element of coercion, induction and control. This research, therefore, seeks to analyze the specific dimensions of each case, highlighting the role of the state and its relationship with the internal bourgeoisie in the construction of an industrial policy. The trajectories of rise and decline of Brazilian and South Korean developmental state will be analyzed, including the current crisis of reconfiguration of political power that both countries are going through.
- Topic:
- Development, Science and Technology, Governance, and Industrialization
- Political Geography:
- Asia, South Korea, Brazil, and South America
2227. Income and consumption inequality in China: A comparative approach with India
- Author:
- Carlos Gradín and Binbin Wu
- Publication Date:
- 08-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- We analyse income and expenditure distribution in China in a comparative perspective with India. These countries represent extreme cases in the relationship of inequality to both wellbeing indicators. Income is more highly concentrated than expenditure in India, especially at the top of the distribution. Both types of inequality are similar in China, although expenditure is more unequally distributed than income in urban areas. China has a much stronger correlation in individual ranks and levels between the two wellbeing distributions. As a result, expenditure inequality is higher in China than in India, but income inequality much lower. This results partially from differences in population composition, such as China being more urbanized and having smaller households, but mostly from differences in conditional income distributions, especially by attained education of the household head. We show that hybrid measures of wellbeing combining income and expenditure can be useful for such cross-country comparison.
- Topic:
- Inequality, Income Inequality, and Consumerism
- Political Geography:
- China, South Asia, India, and Asia
2228. Resurgent Asia: Diversity in Development
- Author:
- Deepak Nayyar
- Publication Date:
- 09-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In 1820, Asia accounted for two-thirds of world population and over half of world income. The subsequent decline of Asia was attributable to its integration with a world economy shaped by colonialism and driven by imperialism. By 1970, Asia was the poorest continent in the world, marginal except for its large population. Its demographic and social indicators, among the worst anywhere, epitomized its underdevelopment. A deep pessimism about Asia’s economic prospects, voiced by Gunnar Myrdal in Asian Drama, was widespread at the time.
- Topic:
- Economics, History, Economic Growth, and Economic Transformation
- Political Geography:
- Asia
2229. The 10th Special Measures Agreement between the U.S. and South Korea: Analysis and Implications for Northeast Asia
- Author:
- Elton J. Chun
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- The United States and the Republic of Korea concluded the 10th Special Measures Agreement on February 10, 2019. The two countries agreed to a one-year agreement after difficult negotiations in which Washington demanded that Seoul increase the amount paid to offset the costs of stationing American forces in Korea. Since 1991, Washington and Seoul have concluded 10 Special Measures Agreements. Unlike the previous five-year agreement, the 10th SMA was a “stopgap deal” that covered a one year of bilateral defense budgets with an option of extending the agreement for an additional year; it was the first SMA negotiated by the Trump administration. This article examines the 10th Special Measures Agreement, exploring the history of defense cost sharing between the two countries, effects on South Korea, implications for coordinating policy on North Korea, and influences on Japan, Russia, and China. The article concludes with an assessment on how the 10th Special Measures Agreement and other factors will affect future agreements.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Regional Cooperation, Treaties and Agreements, Bilateral Relations, and Armed Forces
- Political Geography:
- Japan, China, Asia, South Korea, North Korea, and United States of America
2230. The U.S.- ROK Alliance and its Discontents: Investigating the Effects of the Alliance on Civil-Military Relations in South Korea
- Author:
- Trisha Ray
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- Until the late 1980s, the Republic of Korea was under de facto military rule. Accordingly, South Korea’s uniformed military had an outsized influence on domestic and foreign policy for much of the nation’s history. When the military regime gave way to civilian rule, scholars chronicled the emergence of democratic ideals in South Korea, including the cornerstone: civilian control of the military. As civil-military relations evolved, the uniformed military continued to influence areas of defense policy that are reserved for civilian leaders in other liberal democracies. This paper analyzes the United States-Republic of Korea Alliance’s influence on civil-military relations in South Korea using institutional and alliance legitimacy theories of organization. It proposes a triangular relationship between the uniformed military, civilian government, and military alliance with the United States. Institutional biases influence the uniformed military’s interactions with the alliance, while public opinion shapes the civilian government’s relationship with the alliance. In turn, how military officers and elected civilians view and relate to the alliance affects their relationship with one another. There is a positive correlation between perceptions of the alliance and the modes of civilian control over the military. Additionally, South Korean views of American leadership play a greater role in determining alliance favorability than perceptions of common security threats.
- Topic:
- Bilateral Relations, Alliance, Legitimacy, and Institutions
- Political Geography:
- Asia, South Korea, North America, and United States of America
2231. Can Memories of the Japan-Korea dispute on “Comfort Women” Resolve the Issue?
- Author:
- Gabriel Jonsson
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- About 80 percent of the estimated 70,000 to 200,000 ”comfort women” Japan took by coercion from 1932 to 1945 were Korean. The issue was long neglected by both countries for pragmatic reasons. When Korean women raised the issue around 1990 and the former comfort woman Kim Hak-sun came out in 1991, it emerged as a point of dispute. Solidarity organizations in both countries have contributed to raise the visibility of the issue. Museums in Seoul and Tokyo educate the public on victims’ suffering. However, increased awareness has not succeeded in producing a solution to the issue that satisfies both countries given their fixed positions. Japan has given no official apology to the victims. The crucial issue of legal responsibility remains unresolved. On December 28, 2015, Japan expressed an apology and agreed to provide $8.3 million for a foundation to be established by South Korea to support the victims. However, the issue remains unresolved since the victims were not consulted in advance of the agreement, as well as disagreement also on other issues.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, War, Women, History, Memory, Sexual Violence, and Comfort Women
- Political Geography:
- Japan, Asia, and Korea
2232. Freeze and Advance: How North Korea Maneuvered to Get the Bomb and Prospects for Its Nuclear Future
- Author:
- George Hutchinson
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- U.S. administrations have opted to negotiate with North Korea in an attempt to curb its nuclear ambitions. Rather than producing their intended effect, past negotiations have inadvertently served as a vehicle for North Korea to methodically achieve its nuclear objectives. This paper presents evidence of North Korea’s decades-old drive to maneuver through negotiations while also advancing its nuclear development, including its resistance to sign the IAEA safeguards agreement and its subsequent demands under the Agreed Framework which allowed Pyongyang to advance the clandestine portions of its nuclear program. The paper also explains, more specifically, how North Korea has used the negotiating process with the U.S. to achieve its objectives. Nuclear negotiations have followed a repeating cycle, with North Korea: (1) getting to the negotiating table; (2) agreeing to a freeze under a system of verification; (3) obstructing the verification process intended to monitor the freeze and then (4) blaming the U.S. for the ultimate collapse of the agreement while continuing to advance its weapons program. Finally, the paper uses the ‘repeating cycle’ framework above to assess events that have occurred during the Trump administration in order to predict probable future outcomes.
- Topic:
- Nuclear Weapons, Treaties and Agreements, War, and Conflict
- Political Geography:
- Asia, South Korea, North Korea, North America, and United States of America
2233. South Korean Defense Budgets 2017-2019: Paying More Despite a Reduced Threat?
- Author:
- Todd B. Boese
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- This article analyzes the defense budgets of the Republic of Korea for 2018, 2019, and 2020 in order to determine if the requirements and objectives articulated in government policy rhetoric are receiving increased fiscal resources. Funding for programs associated with policy objectives indicates the political importance of those objectives. Determination of funding levels for budget programs is based on analysis of documents published by the ROK National Assembly, while identification of defense requirements and objectives is based on a review of statements made by the South Korean government. This research concludes that increases to the defense budget are not driven by changes in the security environment or security policy, but rather are a function of government expansionary fiscal policy. However, increased funding for aircraft programs in conjunction with decreased funding for maneuver and firepower programs does reflect the government’s objective to build a more balanced military force.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Government, Budget, and Defense Industry
- Political Geography:
- Asia and South Korea
2234. China’s Role in Inter-Korean Relations
- Author:
- Gordon G. Chang
- Publication Date:
- 10-2019
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- International Journal of Korean Studies
- Institution:
- International Council on Korean Studies
- Abstract:
- China has great power over both Koreas, but its influence looks to be at its peak. There are many reasons for this, but the most important is that the two Koreas are moving closer together and in the process shutting out outsiders. Moreover, the U.S., as it seeks to disarm North Korea, is pursuing policies undercutting Beijing’s role on the peninsula. And to make matters worse, China is beginning to limit its own effectiveness.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Bilateral Relations, and Geopolitics
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Asia, South Korea, North Korea, and United States of America
2235. Strategic Annual Report 2019 : Battles over Techno-hegemony: Japan's Course
- Author:
- Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)
- Publication Date:
- 12-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Japan Institute Of International Affairs (JIIA)
- Abstract:
- With attention focused on advanced technologies in the context of international relations and international security, battles over techno-hegemony have surfaced. The most prominent form of technological competition is the race for simple technological advantage. First, each country considers its technological capabilities to be directly linked to its own security interests and, in a more straightforward manner, views them as sources of hard power and pursues relative technological superiority. Each country expects and/or worries about the disruptive innovations that introduce cutting-edge technologies as game changers in the military domain. Second, the technological capabilities of a nation do not determine only the superiority or inferiority of its military power. Technology is also used as a diplomatic tool. Some countries can impose constraints on access to critical technology, a choke point for products, and force other countries to make concessions.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Science and Technology, and International Security
- Political Geography:
- Japan and Asia
2236. Assessing How Foreign State-Owned Enterprises' U.S. Based Operations Disrupt U.S. Jobs
- Author:
- Oxford Economics
- Publication Date:
- 06-2019
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Oxford Economics
- Abstract:
- The entrance of a Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOE) in the transit passenger railcar manufacturing sector disrupts the current private-sector competitive railcar manufacturing sector in the U.S. In this study, Oxford Economics measures the net effects, stemming from this disruption by quantifying the loss to U.S. jobs, income and GDP that result from anti-competitive SOE practices. Even when domestic protective measures, such as 'Buy America' are put in place loss due to the SOE offshoring key apsects of their supply chain quickly accumulates--especially given the size and duration of municipal transit railcar contracts. We estimate that for every $1 billion in new contracts awarded to a Chinese SOE, the U.S. loses between 3,250 and 5,100 jobs.
- Topic:
- Hegemony, Employment, State Actors, Manufacturing, Job Creation, Supply Chains, and Contracts
- Political Geography:
- China, Asia, North America, and United States of America
2237. The Economic Impact of Huawei in Japan
- Author:
- Oxford Economics
- Publication Date:
- 11-2019
- Content Type:
- Commentary and Analysis
- Institution:
- Oxford Economics
- Abstract:
- Since opening its first office in Japan in 2005, Huawei has played a significant role in developing Japan's digital infrastructure. Working collaboratively with local manufacturers and innovators, the company has developed a suite of innovations that tailor technology solutions to the Japanese context. Huawei also delivers long-term benefits to Japan's productive potential, through its investment in Japanese research and development and the training it provides to its employees and the wider Japanese workforce. This report, commissioned by Huawei, seeks to quantify the company's "total economic impact" across Japan, through its direct operations and the "knock-on effects" it creates in Japanese supply chains and the wider economy. We find that in 2018, Huawei sustained a JPY 766 billion contribution to Japan's GDP, supported 46,400 Japanese jobs and generated JPY 208 billion in tax revenues.
- Topic:
- Economics, Tax Systems, Innovation, and Private Sector
- Political Geography:
- Japan and Asia
2238. Global Energy in Transition: How the EU Should Navigate New Realities and Risks
- Author:
- Andreas Goldthau
- Publication Date:
- 11-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
- Abstract:
- Global energy demand is shifting to Southeast Asia. This new trade flow is altering market power because it not only follows natural economic development, but also results from strategic trade and investment policies that promote national interests. In this context, the EU needs to account for the geo-economic side effects of the new European Green Deal.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Economics, Energy Policy, European Union, Risk, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Asia, and Southeast Asia
2239. Security First, Technology Second: Putin Tightens his Grip on Russia’s Internet – with China’s Help
- Author:
- Andrei Soldatov
- Publication Date:
- 03-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)
- Abstract:
- Since his return to the Russian presidency in 2012, Vladimir Putin has sought to bring the Russian internet under his control. Digital businesses in Russia pay dearly for his expensive system of surveillance and censorship. This slows down the pace of innovation and puts the modernization of the economy at risk. Even then, technical control over the internet remains shaky. The Kremlin is seeking Chinese assistance to enforce restrictions and be able to cut Russia off from the global internet.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Authoritarianism, Internet, Surveillance, and Censorship
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Eurasia, and Asia
2240. From 'Rebalance to Asia' to 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific': The Development of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership
- Author:
- Bich T. Tran
- Publication Date:
- 11-2019
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- Under the Obama administration’s Rebalance to Asia, Vietnam gradually gained importance in U.S. foreign policy as the two countries formed a “comprehensive partnership” in 2013. Despite the Trump administration’s America First policy, the United States prioritizes its partnerships with Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries in its Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. While a common concern about China’s behavior in the South China Sea has facilitated the growth of U.S.-Vietnam relations, the foundation of the relationship is cooperation on Vietnam War legacy issues. The two countries have made remarkable progress in advancing diplomatic, economic, and defense ties regardless of remaining challenges. The year 2020 would be ideal for the United States and Vietnam to upgrade the relationship to a “strategic partnership”: it marks the 25th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral relations, Hanoi’s ASEAN chairmanship, and the start of Vietnam’s term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Bilateral Relations, Partnerships, Economy, Donald Trump, and Barack Obama
- Political Geography:
- Asia, Vietnam, and United States of America