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This paper aims to analyze the relationship between China's maritime security policy and territorial disputes in the gray zone in the South China Sea. The study examines this relationship through the strategy and means of Chinese maritime security policy, aiming to clarify the factors that influenced this policy to drag its territorial disputes into the gray zone. The article argues that the rivalries between countries in the region fostered by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) operated as an external pressure on China. Furthermore, geopolitical factors and the perception of the Chinese ruling elite have contributed to considering the UNCLOS as a threat to China's maritime interests in the South China Sea. Consequently, the Chinese maritime security policy seeks to shift the status quo in the region to establish China as a hegemonic regional power with its sphere of influence while avoiding an open war with its neighbors and the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the ties between Latin America and Asia by moving beyond the homogenisation of the two regions through elevating the importance of opposition to a third party, in this case an "imperialist" and developed North. In contrast to normative analyses based on outmoded conceptions of world history, it proposes an intellectual exercise that problematises the interregional bond by placing the emphasis on heterogeneities rather than broad bush approaches that ignore the complex and diverse national and regional realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world of growing international competition and rivalry between China and the United States, Latin America and the European Union (EU) are caught in the same thorny dilemma. Positioned between these global giants, both regions are facing a retorn to a Westphalian system of nation-states, which undermines their roles as emerging regional players. In view of these new global challenges in Latin America and the EU, this paper uses a qualitative and comparative approach to explore foreign policy discourses on autonomy in both regions. It examines their goals and priorities and assesses the potential regional and interregional consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Territorial inequalities in the west of the People's Republic of China were evidence of extreme poverty in that region. With the implementation of a set of government programs, boosted by the New Silk Road initiative, this region has overcome the obstacles in order to report indicators that show the impact of such actions. The province of Qinghai is an example of this, showing encouraging indicators that demonstrate the importance of the transfer of technologies and state resources for the achievement of concrete sustainability objectives. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the impacts generated by the New Silk Road on local development in Qinghai province. For this purpose, it relies on scientific methods such as historical-logical and inductive-deductive, in a descriptive and analytical-exploratory type of research. The results reveal the significance of the implementation of the development program accompanying the New Road, while revealing the gaps that persist, from which actions are proposed to achieve a structural economic transformation in the province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on China's multilevel engagement strategy in Latin America and the Caribbean, this paper seeks to investigate Argentina's subnational strategies towards the Asian giant in terms of energy transition in two areas: the production of renewable energies and the production of lithium as a storage medium. The perspectives of asymmetric interdependence and structuralism are used to explain the pattern of links between the two countries; and studies of paradiplomacy are used to understand the international actions of Argentina's provinces. The analysis focuses on energy initiatives between 2014 and 2023, using a qualitative methodology with case studies. The initial argument maintains that the development of clean energy is a complementary interest between the Argentine provinces and China, as the Asian country builds its leadership in the field of energy transition, and the provinces diversify their local production matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to determine the effect of extreme wealth on economic development (human development index and sub-indices) in 64 countries during 2005-2018, with special emphasis on Mexico and China. A dynamic estimation (sys-GMM) is followed. Estimations show that extreme national wealth acts as a constraint on human development for the entire sample of countries, including Mexico and China. Income is found to be most sensitive to this type of wealth, followed by the education index. The analysis confirms that democracy, economic freedom, investment and social spending are underlying factors of HDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China the nominal addresses are common elements in the personal interaction. 老 /lao/, 大/da/ and 小/xiao/, indicators of the age of the people, are used to form titles of professions, posts and social status, which have to do with their special signification in the Chinese culture. On the other hand, they are used, with the kinship names and family names, to denote and connote different interpersonal relations, because they are expressions filled with feelings. This paper explores their semantic and pragmatic characteristics with a presentation of the nominal addresses formed with 老/lao/, 大/da/ and 小/xiao/ and their translation into Spanish in La fortaleza asediada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liberal international order established after the end of the Cold War is currently an order in transition. The shift in material power - following the rise of China - is necessary to understanding the changes in the international order, but it is not the whole story. We are seeing both material and ideational changes. The present moment is one of rules under challenge. But the normative contestation the international order is facing is not just about the rivalry between China and the United States or the tired description of "the rest against the West"; its parameters are more complex and diverse. To demonstrate that, this paper looks at three very different issues on the international agenda: a) governance of the Internet, b) sexual and reproductive rights and c) migration management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although scholars have proposed many types of self-assessment methods. There are still many teachers in China who consider that student self-assessment is “difficult to implement”. This paper aims to optimize the assessment of MOOC learning, and to establish an integrated student self-assessment paradigm with “student-centered, teacher, and peer auxiliary”. We started by selecting nine key factors that influence the implementation of self-assessment in MOOCs. Then, we clarified the relationship between the nine factors by using the interpretative structure model (ISM) and the MICMAC analysis, and a six-level paradigm of integrated student self-assessment was established. Moreover, we put forward the following suggestions to optimize student self-assessment in MOOC learning. First, it’s necessary to consider student self-assessment in MOOCs as a formative assessment method. Second, universities should enhance student awareness of self-assessment through publicity. Third, institutions of higher education could set up assessment courses to enhance the quality of assessment of students. Fourth, schools should optimize the environment of student self-assessment with the help of technology. This study is of great significance for students to make self-assessment become the basis of online learning and thus perfect the research on MOOC learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of hydrocarbons and their derivatives, have generated a problem of environmental contamination. The most current studies suggest a solution to this situation, based on microbiological degradation or biotransformation, using axenic microbial cultures. Objective: To develop a systematic mapping of the scientific literature on research on bacteria and fungi in the biodegradation of hydrocarbons. Methodology: The exploration, classification, verification and study of the documents with the respective research guidelines in relation to the purpose of this research was carried out. The documents obtained from WoS and Scopus were merged and replicas were eliminated, using the R studio software. Subsequently, a study of origin, theoretical reference, bibliometric and network study on bacteria and fungi in the biodegradation of hydrocarbons was developed. Results: The search yielded a total of 424 records. It was evidenced that the subject has had a significant increase over the years, mainly from 2015, with an increase of 51.9% and an annual increase rate of 10.41%. The country with the highest scientific production is China with 67 publications. According to the scientific papers reviewed until 2021, this is the first systemic review study on BHBH, which has used the R studio application to analyze the bibliographic productivity on this topic. Conclusion: Some of the native bacteria that biodegrade hydrocarbons are Gordonia, Brevibacterium, Dietzia, Burkholderia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For fungi they are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium. For yeasts they are Candida, Yarrowia, Pichia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As defined in economic theory, artificial intelligence (AI) can be considered an industry. In this context, two simultaneous processes are observed: concurrence and cooperation. The current dispute between China and the United States for world leadership in AI should be placed against this background. Thus, the description in this paper of concrete policies and measures that the Chinese regime pursued to promote its AI industry and identify its strategy to increase its influence on the standardization processes in the emerging industry is extremely important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the evolution of the trilateral trade relationship between Mexico, the United States and China, and its main characteristics, from 1993 to 2020, through the application of vector autoregressive (VAR) models at different points in time. More specifically, trade links between these economies have been transformed from a first phase of little significance to a second phase with profound interrelationships since 2001, and finally to a current consolidation stage, despite the current increasingly complex environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ostensibly, Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential elections should have placed United States international policy back on a familiar path. However, despite the prevalence of a highly traditional vision of US foreign policy, the Biden administration has maintained significant continuities with the previous administration, as reflected in the policy towards China and the withdrawal from Afghanistan. In part, this is due to the constraints produced by the deep divisions that exist at domestic level. This paper aims to unravel the fundamental elements of Biden's foreign policy, focusing on possible ideological and doctrinal elements, strategic priorities, and any continuities and changes relative to his predecessor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, autonomous systems that incorporate renewable energy sources and energy storage systems play a fundamental role as a solution to energy supply problems. These systems are a good alternative, mainly in remote areas of the electricity network such as islands. This paper analyzes the cost of battery life, operation and maintenance costs and the uncertainty costs associated with renewable energy agents for an autonomous microgrid developed on Dong-fushan Island in China, all in order to obtain the adequate parameters for the optimum operation of the same, without forgetting the characteristics of useful life in specific lead-acid batteries. It is intended, through the non-dominant algorithm of genetic classification (NSGA II), to achieve maximization of the aforementioned variables: useful life of the batteries, and the reduction of the generation cost, proposing a multi-objective optimization. In addition to the above, the costs of uncertainty associated with renewable wind energy are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper performs a comparative analysis of the Chinese and Mexican production structures, through a descriptive study and using the methods of structural analysis on input-output tables of 1995 and 2011. During this period, the average annual per capita gross domestic product (gdp) growth in China amounted to 9.18%, while in Mexico it reached only 0.95%. Assuming that China's growth has been successful in this sense, then a mayor conclusion from this paper is that if Mexico wishes to reach high growth rates, the main element potentially useful to elaborate an efficacious strategy from China's experience is clear: To foster, from a proactive participation of the state, the development of key sectors which will constantly increase their multiplier effects, so that a mayor integration of the national economy is achieved, and the development and consolidation of the productive apparatus sufficient to support the generation of next-generation productive sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, that country began an economic and trade war with China which, in addition to the trade implications of this war, calls into question the relevance of the existence of current multilateralism. The trade policies of openness that have flourished since the 1980s seem to have come to an end. This fact forces us to rethink the U.S. and world economic agenda in an environment of uncertainty and in the face of a rival such as China, whose strength and influence is growing. Questions arise as to whether the winner will be rewarded with global economic hegemony? Or, on the other hand, will it be a situation in which two powers coexist with a shared hegemony? At this time it is not possible to anticipate who will be the winner, so the aim of this paper is to try to find trends and developments between the two countries to try to give a possible answer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the beginning of the 21st century, an unprecedented theoretical change in perspective took place, and non-Western theoretical approaches began to be developed as an alternative to traditional theories of International Relations. In this way, some specialists began to debate about the emergence and consolidation of a "Chinese School of International Relations", based mostly on the Asian culture. The aim of this paper is to present the main streams of international studies in China, among which the reverse, obverse and interactive approaches stand out. Likewise, it is particularly intended to understand the conception of international cooperation of each of these approaches. In addition, it is intended to highlight the evolution of international studies in China and departs from the assumption that the production and changes of the axis of international studies follow the rise and geographical position of the great powers. In the Chinese case, they have been growing in parallel with its international prominence and the attainment of great power status. The theoretical framework proposed for this research takes as a starting point the so-called non-western theories, that is, all those theories that are not part of the mainstream of the Western International Relations Theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mercantile expeditions organized by Lima's commercial and political elite who traded with the Philippines and China during times of notable silver production in Potosí are studied from the last two decades of the sixteenth century until 1604. This analysis emphasizes the roles in this trade of the viceroys of New Spain, Perú, and the governors of the Philippine islands such as Francisco Tello de Guzmán. Case studies are undertaken of the networks built by Limenian neighbors Juan de Segura and Diego Núñez de Campoverde. This paper ends with an analysis of the merchandise coming from the East destined for Lima, Potosí, Sucre, and La Paz. Research for this article has been conducted in the General Archive of the Indies (Sevilla, Spain), the Peruvian General Archive, México City's General Notary Archive, and the Bolivia's Nationals Archive and Library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the introduction of the "gentrification" concept by Ruth Glass in 1964, Anglo-Saxon urban geographers have extensively studied the process and phenomenon of gentrification. In recent years, gentrification studies have moved beyond the Anglo-Saxon academic field. This paper aims to review the current stage of English-Language gentrification studies about China. Using the case of China, the paper argues that gentrification can be generalized to a universally applied paradigm. However, the challenges of studying gentrification in any country are to transfer and adapt the broad paradigm that could capture the complexities of local conditions. Scholars studying gentrification in China have recognized the local and national differences that are specific to China and have worked out to establish their own theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between Maoism and psychiatry in the work of the Argentine psychiatrist Gregorio Bermann (1894-1972). As a result of the cultural diplomacy deployed by the People's Republic of China since 1949 and of specific institutional networks, the author produced knowledge regarding China, its practices and institutions of mental health as an expert-traveler. Those works were a dissemination of the "mass science" promoted by this country, applied to the field of psychiatry, though not without tensions. The relevance that China had for rethinking psychiatric practice in the case studied is evaluated, and it is argued that Gregorio Bermann's interest in largescale psychiatry and the international political commitment that he held were decisive in it. Lastly, this article studies the spaces where those works circulated and shows the variety of existing knowledge regarding China based on the political positions that were held towards it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relations between the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and China from a historical perspective. To do this it addresses the genesis and content of DAC's "altruistic paradigm" and China's "realist paradigm", highlighting their differences. It also analyses DAC's efforts and failure to co-opt China into the effective aid agenda: while China refuses to become a donor - citing its Southern identity - the DAC is resistant to recognising China as a co-operator with different responsibilities. The paper goes on to illustrate how, in order to survive "unfair competition", the DAC incorporates elements from China and the South into its narrative and cooperation practices. Lastly, China's move towards a more assertive foreign policy is explored along with the dynamic of relations between the DAC and China - between competition and convergence - in an uncertain international context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the data from our corpus and survey, this paper aims to analyse a series of Chinese grammatical errors frequently made by Spanish students, in the light of theories of contrastive analysis and error analysis. We focus our analysis on the errors of six categories (polysemic correspondence, omission, order, collocation, classifier and deixis), and try to identify their possible causes. Lastly, we also offer some strategies in the hope of facilitating the Chinese learning in Spanish-speaking countries, as well as shedding some lights on the Chinese teaching and investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its extraordinary material and spiritual qualities, jades in Ancient China were venerated as a sacred material (shenwu). In the last decades an important quantity of jade objects have been discovered in a series of Late or Terminal Neolithic cultures, which are now considered as part of a separate era known as the Jade Age, although many of these finely carved lapidary artifacts belong to the category of sumptuary and ritual jades, used in luxury elite burials primarily as markers of the social rank and as ceremonial paraphernalia in shamanistic rituals. In this paper we outline the pattern of a magical-religious consumption of jades in the Liangzhu Culture of South China and emphasize its importance in the emergence of the traditional ritual system as the basis of the ethos of Chinese civilization and the formation of an early complex polity with a predominant theocratic nature which collapsed at the end of the Jade Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the second decade of the 21st century, Mercosur is faced with two potentially influential politico-normative proposals: the EU's and China's. This paper analyses the content and scope of these two politico-normative approaches, as well as their respective impacts on the regional bloc in the context of domestic changes in the governments of Argentina and Brazil. The paper states that Mercosur has produced two external strategies: interregional with the EU and bilateral with China. There are structural limitations to this strategy as well as some that relate to Mercosur's domestic policies, but it contains the foundations for the bloc's normative convergence with these extraregional actors and ultimately a positive-sum game. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following article presents a brief analysis of the effects on the economy and international trade of the rules and policies implemented in the world to face and contain the covid-19 pandemic, including: i) export restrictions on medical supplies and personal protective equipment, as well as import facilitation measures; ii) travel limitations and border closures; and iii) the effects of the uncertainty generated by the sanitary emergency on foreign direct investment. In addition, the paper proposes that one of the long-term consequences of covid-19 will be a generalized increase in protectionist policies through trade remedies and tariff and non-tariff barriers, in response to the economic recovery measures implemented in each country. Particularly, China has such an aggressive exports recovery plan, that it will potentially trigger a wave of trade remedies across the globe, to contain its expansion on foreign markets. The history of international trade development demonstrates that an increase in trade remedies, has been a usual response in the world, after deep financial crisis. In this case, early signs of the increase in protectionism are already appearing in some countries, especially in the steel industry. Thus, it is probable that, in the context of a global economic recovery, countries continue to adopt measures to protect the sustainability of their national industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For some years now, China has been investing in mega infrastructure and natural resource projects in Latin America, and in Argentina in particular. These investments share the «north-south» characteristics that Argentina, as a dependent economy, has had over the years as a recipient of foreign investment. In addition to the multiple consequences that this type of relationship has in economic matters, they play a fundamental role in political ecology at the international level. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the environmental consequences of the relations between China and Argentina from the cases of land grabbing presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has entered the new millennium with the goal of returning to the club of the great world powers and is running as the clearest candidate to dispute the hegemonic power of the United States. The "Chinese dream of revitalization of the great Chinese nation" and the "community of destiny" have become two of the main foreign policy purposes of the current president, Xi Jinping. In both concepts, the economic arena occupies a priority place. In this context, the economic statecraft, understood as the manipulation of international economic activities by a State to achieve strategic objectives (Norris, 2010) becomes a fundamental tool for Beijing in the framework of consolidation of its global power. It has also become an effective means to attract Latin American countries, rich in the natural resources that China needs to sustain its economic growth rates. In this regard, the Asian giant has established strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening ties with Beijing, which focus on trade, investment and finance (priority areas of action in the economic statecraft). This paper intends to analyze the economic statecraft that China deploys in Latin America and its link with the establishment of strategic associations in the region, in order to understand if they contribute to give an institutional framework to the economic policy of power that China deploys in the region. For this, we will take the case of the Argentina-China relationship at the beginning of the 21st century, analyzing its process of approach and evolution of bilateral political-diplomatic relations until the signing of the 2014 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the People's Republic of China as an actor in global cultura markets. The first section reviews the existing conceptualization of culture as a component of international relations in its two dimensions: as a constitutive element of social subjects and as an instrument incorporated in a diplomatic strategy. The first deals with the links at the level of civil society, the second understood as state´s soft power. The second section reveals China as a consumer and producer of cultural goods globally, its magnitude, growth, global economic impacts and the formation of a global cultural canon. The conclusions present public policy implications and avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines China-Latin America relations through the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in the 2011-2018 period. In this context, the main perspectives on integration and regionalism are discussed, and CELAC is shown to possess the characteristics of a regional body. It is proposed that the relationship China seeks through this body can be explained by its interest in institutionalising a mechanism for rapprochement with Latin America and the Caribbean. It is noted that CELAC is seen by China as a strategic vehicle that allows it to engage bilaterally with various countries and develop an economic strategy under structurally asymmetric conditions. However, its institutional nature has prevented it from serving these interests. As per the methodology, documentary and qualitative data analysis is made using the systematisation of an unpublished database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the Mexican foreign policy actions made during the six years term of Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-2018) in the face of China’s growing power and global influence, while both countries were aiming to become global players. The emphasis lies on convergent areas of opportunity and divergent critical assumptions. The scope of bilateral agreements signed between Mexico and China will be analyzed based on the events, diplomatic speeches and academic research papers. This work demonstrates and concludes that most agreements did not prosper satisfactorily due to an internal context in Mexico mired by corruption scandals, social violence and institutional fragility as well as the long-era of U.S. hegemonic role in Latin America. These internal and external factors prevented China from negotiating the scheduled agenda they had envisioned toward Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the Mexican exports to China and the European Union along with the effects of a possible shift of Mexican products to the above markets due to a change within the US-Mexico trade agreements. Beginning with a review of Mexican trade agreements with the European Union and China, the article describes the quarterly Mexican exports of goods and products and their primary destinations to these countries. Later, the paper analyses the exports of Mexican products from years 2012-2015 fitting their values to Gamma and Normal distributions. Probabilities for different scenarios, which include the average and maximum exports, are given in order to quantify the possibilities that Mexico has to replace the goods and products that can not be positioned in the American market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Will underdeveloped economies be able to achieve development in the twenty-first century? To advance towards a potential response to this question, this paper analyzes some aspects of the development processes of South Korea and China, pointing to the exceptional geopolitical and strategic conditions behind why their models are unsuitable to emulate. It also highlights the state authoritarianism, strict planning and discipline of both the ruling and ruled classes to guide investment and the growth of specific economic sectors. From this perspective, the paper then discusses some proposals formulated for the region by neo-developmentalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mondragon is the largest business group in the Basque Country, the tenth largest in Spain and the largest in the social economy. In recent years, Mondragon has been seeking to adapt to a new context of increasingly complex and global markets. One result of this process of adaptation has been the full entry of Mondragón itself into the global economy in general, and, in particular, the international expansion of its manufacturing activities. This paper is the result of a wider study that developed an analytical tool for the evaluation of socio-economic impact which has been applied to Mondragon enterprises in risk countries identified as target markets. It combines two kinds of measurement: firstly, the economic impact of these firms' manufacturing activities through Input-Output tables (Leontief, 1970), and, secondly, the alignment of different economic, environmental and sociallyresponsible policies and practices with their core business strategies (Porter y Kramer, 2006). This paper presents the case of Orkli S.Coop in Kunshan, China, following fieldwork that took place in June 2009. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper describes the case of two Chinese companies that are global leaders in digital technology and telecommunications: Huawei and Foxconn. Both companies are pioneer cases of Chinese globalization in Mexico. Methodology: trough the case study method, seeks to show evidence and analytical proposals of this new phase of China's productive internationalization to Mexico. Results: The main results of the analysis show an asymmetrical economic relationship between Mexico and China. Limitations: While trade between the two countries has grown significantly in recent years, it has been marked by an imbalance in favor of China. Although there are no obvious signs that show, whether Chinese companies would have in Mexico a focal point of its internationalization. Conclusions: The case analysis of both companies helps explain its mode of international expansion and its presence in Mexico. While Mexico was not their original destination, both companies have operations in the country as part of their global expansion strategies marked from early stages of internationalization. In each case, the respective firm has followed its globalization patterns, and this has enabled them to consolidate as leading companies in the industries in which they are inserted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a statistical method for building capital, after the manner of the French economist Thomas Piketty, for China during a long period (1952-2012), by increasing stock of limited productive, physical capital, with the aim of gradually including inventories and elements not directly concerned with production. This capital is called «stock of global capital» a la Piketty, with an open economic approach being taken. Elasticity of this capital is estimated econometrically by using such parameters as human capital, research and development, and institutional change as a variable, within the framework of modern macrodynamic, neoclassical models. An implicit rate of return on this capital is calculated with the aim of verifying (or not) what Piketty describes as an «inherent inequality». His «economic law» connecting capital coefficient with savings rate-to-growth rate ratio is assessed. Finally, the subject of inequalities in today's China is dealt with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is aimed at characterizing private higher education institutions (HEI) there are in the People's Republic of China. Their emergence and reemergence in the eighties, their impact on political and economic changes, and their prospects for development are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A little more than a decade and a half into the "Asian century", the epicentre of the global economy has moved from the North Atlantic towards East Asia at an unprecedented pace. As a correlate, China's growing expansion at global level has been gradually undermining the position of leading regional powers such as Brazil and South Africa. The displacement of their investments and the consequent loss of their regional markets, added to the growth of other medium-sized regional powers through stronger links with Beijing, have damaged both countries prospects of regional leadership. From this perspective, in contrast to the abundant literature depicting China as a great opportunity for Brazil and South Africa, this paper warns that both countries' regional importance has been diminished in favour of China, which calls the usefulness of the BRICS concept into question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to provide a general overview of the aspects that define the strategic relationship between Europe and China, centered on the scientific cooperation and mobility promoted by the European Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Education in recent years. The shared vision of China and the United States in terms of scientific mobility and exchange programs is necessary, as migration flows of Chinese origin have always been primarily destined for United States soil. The objective of Sino-European cooperation is based on reforming the higher education system to do away with the "brain drain" that has had a dramatic impact on the Asian nation and member countries of the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to evolve from an export-based economic model towards a different model where domestic consumption plays a larger role is what has driven the Chinese government to design new social policies to give households greater confidence and boost consumption levels. The 13th Five-Year Plan 2016-2020 includes measures to expand the coverage of the pension system, health insurance, and unemployment insurance, and also provides for a new raise to the minimum wage. However, there are still significant challenges to come and high expectations for how these programs will develop. This paper analyzes the impact of the reforms adopted up until now and examines the scope of the initiatives set forth in the 13th Five-Year Plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most decisive ways in which the global economy and power relations were transformed at dawn of the twenty-first century was the rise of China as a major power, as well as the consequent influence the country has been able to exercise over peripheral nations. Although the majority of administrations in Latin America have rejected the policies once hailed by the Washington Consensus, it is striking that they have largely accepted a new system of asymmetrical relations with another major world power, which is fostering the reprimarization of the productive structure in Latin American economies. Thus, beginning with the case of Argentina, this paper explores the path to what is now known as the Beijing Consensus, with an emphasis on a characterization based on the analysis provided below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses Kazakhstan's vision of long-term development and its ambitious goals. After revising the history of the infrastructure projects in the country during the tsarist period and the Soviet era, it sets out the plans of the Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to turn the country into a logistical hub between East and West by 2050. Later, the paper puts Nazarbayev's vision in the context of the political and economic reality of Kazakhstan, focussing, specifically, on how the government's multivector foreign policy fluctuates between Russia's regional integration projects and the Chinese push westwards to develop Xinjiang province along the new Silk Road. As a conclusion, it identifies the multiple goals that may put the future of this plan in doubt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]