Search

Xuan paper is one of the most famous handmade papers in China and is an important paper for conservation. However, the evenness of Xuan paper has not yet received much attention. In this study, the distribution of the in-plane grammage and mechanical properties of Xuan paper are measured. It is found that the distribution of the in-plane grammage and mechanical properties of Xuan paper is uneven. In the handmade direction, the grammage and mechanical properties of Xuan paper are overall largest in the lower area, followed by the upper and middle areas. The sheet forming process of Xuan paper has an important effect on the distribution of in-plane grammage, mechanical properties, and fiber orientation of Xuan paper. The folded state has a negative effect on the mechanical properties of the folded area of Xuan paper. This study will help raise awareness of the unevenness in physical properties of Xuan paper, which is important in both conservation and research applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid to using English movies in senior high school English teaching in China since the release of 2017 edition of Senior High School English Curriculum Standards that lists English Movie Appreciation as an optional compulsory course. Senior high school teachers have conducted substantial research over the past three years regarding the practical application of English movies in their teaching, yet there has been a lack of thorough and systematic of analysis of the large number of relevant papers published, which, more or less, limits the understanding and further advancements of this study area. This paper attempts, in light of the emerging systematic review methodology, to present an overview of the research papers spanning the period 2019 to 2022 on the use of English movies in Chinese senior high school from the four perspectives: language ability, cultural awareness, thinking quality, and learning ability based on the concept of core literacy of English as an academic discipline in the new curriculum standard. With focus on the discussion of the common problems and corresponding countermeasures that have been sorted out from the works of front-line teachers, the paper also puts forward suggestions and prospects for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs the money demand function including the variable of electronic payments while adopting the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to investigate the relationship between electronic payments and money demand in China. The empirical results show that there is the cointegration among the variables in the constructed function with stability, and the e-payment variable is negatively correlated with the demand for money. According to the findings of this paper, in the long run, for every 1 percent increase in the e-payment variable, the demand for M1 will decrease by approximately 0.01 percent. In addition, the money demand function that contains the e-payment variable performs better than the one that does not in the forecast evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A closed-loop material flow analysis model is established for China's pulp and paper industry (CPPI), followed by a comprehensive quantitative analysis from both retrospective and prospective perspectives. • By implementing sound plans and stricter regulations and standards, China has improved recycling and material use efficiency, reduced the organic material with wastewater, and shifted towards recovered paper as a raw material over non-wood fiber. • Lowering the waste paper recycling rate to increase carbon storage is not suitable for China, due to the limited virgin fiber and growing demand. • The growing paper demand requires efforts from both ends of virgin fiber supply and waste paper management towards the sustainable development of CPPI. As the largest global producer and consumer of pulp and paper, China faces significant sustainability challenges in fiber supply and waste paper management. A comprehensive material flow analysis of China's pulp and paper industry (CPPI) is needed to understand the interaction between raw material supply and waste paper management. Here, we construct a closed-loop material flow analysis model for CPPI, examine the evolution patterns of material metabolism from 1990 to 2019, and explore the demand for paper production, waste paper recycling, and virgin fiber supply in 2030 and 2050 under multiple scenarios considering critical factors. Results show that the industry has undergone rapid expansion, increased material use efficiency, and a shift towards recycled pulp from 1990 to 2019. China's paper demand will grow to 186 Mt in the next 30 years, resulting in a significant increase in both demand for fibers (173 Mt) and the generation of waste paper (138 Mt). To ensure a sustainable fiber supply for CPPI, domestic waste paper recycling needs to be prioritized. However, attention should also be paid to the availability of virgin pulp supply and proper disposal of organic solid waste. Proper management of these factors is crucial for achieving a circular economy in the industry and reducing its environmental impact. The findings highlight the importance of addressing both raw material supply and waste paper management for CPPI's sustainable development. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a monthly data between 2008 and 2019, this study investigated how the development of the Internet technologies has shaped the consumer consumption pattern of different types of paper products in China during this period. In detail, this study covers four major types of paper products in the Chinese market: newsprint, printing paper, household paper, and packaging paper. The developments of Internet technologies were decomposed into two aspects: the communication technology (CT) and the software platform technology (PT). Granger causality analysis was employed to determine whether the consumption pattern of paper products was affected by the development of the Internet. Furthermore, impulse-response analyses were utilized to measure how the consumption pattern of each paper product was shaped by the development of each aspect of Internet technologies, i.e., CT or PT. The empirical results suggested that the Internet developments are causing the consumption patterns shifts of all four paper products. Specifically, the consumptions of newsprint and printing paper were driven by both CT and PT. However, the consumptions of packaging paper and household paper were driven by the PT only. Compared to the development of CT, we found that the quick evolution of PT plays a more significant role in shifting people's consumption of paper products in China. The empirical results revealed by this study could provide valuable economics and policy implications to both academia and relevant industries. • Internet development has shifted the paper products consumption pattern in China. • Development of internet boosted the demand for printing paper and household paper. • Development of internet suppressed the demand for newsprint. • The effects of internet technological development are separated into two aspects. • Emerging Internet platforms shifted the consumption of paper products efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the peer effects in financial investment of board-interlocked firms from the information sharing perspective. Based on board interlock and financial information of A-share listed nonfinancial firms in China, we construct board interlocking networks where firms share at least one board member in common and conduct an empirical investigation into peer effects in financial investment of board interlocking firms. The results demonstrate that peer effects are noticeably found in nonfinancial firms even after ruling out endogenous concerns by applying peers' peers' characteristics as instrumental variables, and carrying out robustness tests and placebo tests. In addition, the main manifestation of these peer effects is that firms with inferior quality information, i.e., poor financial conditions, low market capitalization, and higher stock idiosyncratic volatility, tend to follow companies that are perceived as having superior quality information in the above-mentioned areas. Firms located in the core position of board interlocking network or with more assets are more likely to be influenced by peers, because they can obtain more high-quality information. Different from existing studies, this paper provides a board interlocking perspective to the study of peer effects, which offers a new explanation for the expansion of financial activities of firms in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically reviews the lessons learnt from the testing of China's digital currency, the e-CNY. Using a theory-based case study, it looks at the e-CNY testing through the lens of the academic literature on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). The controlled field experiments by the Peoples Bank of China tested the technology, consumer usage and transaction robustness of the e-CNY. The results of this testing are collated, and the paper compares the transactions per second with other digital money offerings. It also investigates the results in the context of privacy and monetary policy. It is observed that several lessons can be learnt. These are that (1) CBDC testing needs to be phased and incorporate techniques, approaches, tools, and frameworks; (2) retail CBDCs compete with private forms of digital money for share of wallet; (3) the hybrid co-development model allows for a robust CBDC offering: and (4) privacy concerns and digital literacy impact user uptake. It is concluded that there is a role for retail CBDCs and that those central banks that are exploring the possibility should develop a testing regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Order distribution and routing optimization of takeout delivery is a challenging research topic in the field of e-commerce. In this paper, we propose a drone–rider joint delivery mode with multi-distribution center collaboration for the problems of limited-service range, unreasonable distribution, high delivery cost, and tight time windows in the takeout delivery process. The model is constructed with the minimum delivery cost and the overall maximum customer satisfaction as the objective function, and a two-stage heuristic algorithm is designed to solve the model. In the first stage, Euclidean distance is used to classify customers into the regions belonging to different distribution centers, and the affinity propagation (AP) clustering algorithm is applied to allocate orders from different distribution centers. The second stage uses an improved tabu search algorithm for route optimization based on specifying the number of rider and drone calls. This paper takes China's Ele.me and Meituan takeout as the reference object and uses the Solomon data set for research. The experimental results show that compared with the traditional rider delivery mode, the drone–rider joint delivery mode with multiple distribution center collaboration can effectively reduce the number of riders used, lower the delivery cost, and improve the overall customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Designed a micro-governance framework of multi-government environmental regulation (ER) synergy. • Developed a synergistic-based measure to quantify the degree of heterogeneous multi-government ER synergy. • Heterogeneous multi-government ER synergy has dissimilar impacts on corporate environmental responsibility (CER). • Financing constraints and executives' attention to CER play mediating roles in the mechanism. • The impact of multi-government ER synergy is heterogeneous among different types of firms. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) calls for enhanced global efforts to achieve the 17 sustainable development goals by 2030, highlighting the crucial role of corporate environmental responsibility (CER) in advancing global sustainability. As a significant participant, China is leveraging its government-led environmental regulation (ER) system, which has a multi-level and multi-sectoral structure, to effectively combat climate change. However, the effect of this ER system, especially collaborative efforts among multiple government subjects, on CER remains unknown. Thus, this paper is the first attempt to investigate the effect and underlying mechanisms of multi-government ER synergy on CER from the perspective of government subject synergy. Using a dataset of Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2010 to 2021, this study finds the following. First, multi-government ER synergy boosts CER. Direct ER synergy, stemming from joint policy-making across departments, encourages CER in end-of-pipe governance. Indirect ER synergy, arising from administrative hierarchy constraints among multi-level governments, fosters CER in front-end governance. Second, financing constraints and executives' attention to CER are two key channels through which multi-government ER synergy influences CER. Third, firms with political connections, those in heavily polluting industries, or those located in central and western regions adopt more proactive CER strategies under multi-government ER synergy. This paper expands research on government collaborative governance from the regional macro-perspective to the micro-firm level, providing valuable insights for countries worldwide, particularly emerging economies that share similar characteristics with China, to contain rapidly growing environmental challenges and advance global sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the impact of justice reform on entrepreneurship in China, utilizing a staggered difference-in-differences model. The research reveals that the implementation of justice reform has a sizable positive effect on entrepreneurship, both statistically and economically significant. The influence is more pronounced in areas with higher trust, lower legal environment, and in rural areas. Government quality and innovation are two possible mechanisms. This paper emphasizes the significant role of the justice environment in fostering business innovation and entrepreneurship, and highlights the economic significance of government quality, providing a new perspective for encouraging entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the second populous country in the world, China is confronted with the significant and rapid challenge of population ageing. The household savings rate is inevitably impacted by population ageing. Most existing research has been conducted using macro data from 31 provinces in China. However, most of them lacks consideration of urban-rural differences. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding the applicability of using macro data to study household-level microeconomic issues. Against this backdrop, the objectives of this paper are twofold: first, to investigate the effect of population ageing on the savings rates of urban and rural households in China. Second, this work examines whether urban–rural heterogeneity is evident in the impact of population ageing on household savings in China. This paper conducts a regression analysis on pseudo-panel data from 2010 to 2018 in China using micro-level household data from China Family Panel Studies and employing a Feasible Generalized Least Squares model. The key contribution of this paper is converting cross-sectional microdata into pseudo-panel data, enabling regression analysis within a logical and rigorous theoretical framework. It addresses limitations on existing literature, which predominantly relies on macro data. Additionally, the study takes into account heterogeneity, individual differences, and multicollinearity in regression model selection, thereby remedying the shortcomings of model selection in the majority of the existing literature based on pseudo-panel data. The findings reveal the heterogeneity of household savings rates in urban and rural China, as well as the heterogeneity of the impact of population ageing on the savings rates of urban and rural households in China. Specifically, population ageing significantly reduces household savings rates in both China and rural areas, but significantly increases the savings rates of urban households. Moreover, in the context of population ageing, urban household savings rates are significantly lower than those in rural areas. Policymakers should strengthen urbanization efforts to reduce the urban-rural disparity. In addition, to mitigate the impact of population ageing on savings rates, policymakers should encourage fertility in order to improve household demographics. They should also strengthen investment in education to reduce the burden of household expenditure on education. In addition, policymakers should promote entrepreneurship, provide job training in order to increase household incomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging industry in the convergence of finance and technology, Digital Inclusive Finance (DIF) has gradually become a fundamental driving factor in increasing Common Prosperity (COPRO). However, the potential influence of DIF on COPRO across counties has yet to be clarified. As a result, we explore the impact, heterogeneous characteristics, and pathways of DIF on COPRO using Chinese county-level panel data from 2014 to 2021. The key findings of this paper are as follows: (1) The COPRO in China's counties has shown a steady upward trend, but there are significant differences in regional development levels. (2) DIF can significantly boost the counties' COPRO, and the above conclusion still holds after multiple robustness tests. (3) The coverage and digitalization of DIF contribute more to COPRO than usage. Furthermore, DIF can contribute to COPRO in central and western, highly urbanized, and internet-enabled counties. (4) DIF can encourage COPRO by easing financial constraints and promoting enterprise cultivation. Drawing from the findings above, this paper offers feasible financial solutions and paths for China and developing countries to promote COPRO. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is posited that solving the problem of relative poverty (RP) first requires the identification of its cause. We use data from China Family Panel Studies to examine the impact of risk preference on RP of urban and rural families in China and the underlying mechanism. This paper contributes to the existing body of evidence on the determinants of RP. The results show that a high degree of risk preference is conducive to alleviating families' RP. The effect is still significant after dealing with potential endogeneity through instrumental variables. Furthermore, the effect is more obvious among health insurance participation families, endowment insurance participation families, families with low life satisfaction, non-poor families, especially middle-income families, urban families, male-headed families and families in the West in China. Further analysis suggests that risk preference affects RP by promoting entrepreneurship and credit in urban and rural families. Families with a higher risk preference are more likely to engage in entrepreneurship and utilize credit, which in turn helps alleviate their RP. Overall, this paper provides new empirical evidence for understanding the mechanism of risk preference influencing RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has seriously impacted China's real economy and directly threatened the survival and healthy development of enterprises. Based on the data of Chinese A-share listed enterprises in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2017 to 2021, this paper empirically examines the impact and mechanism of COVID-19 on enterprises financial distress. The findings are as follows: (1) The impact of COVID-19 significantly increases the risk of enterprises financial distress. (2) There are differences in the effect of COVID-19 on the financial situation of enterprises with different characteristics, with significant negative impacts on enterprises in industries such as mining and manufacturing, as well as smaller enterprises and those located in the central and western regions. (3) Digital transformation and government subsidies can alleviate the negative effects of COVID-19 on enterprises financial distress. The paper provides a basis for enterprises to recover from financial difficulties as soon as possible, enhance competitiveness, and realize sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungal inhibitory and preservative effects of essential oils (EOs) on the dominant spoilage fungi of blue honeysuckle were investigated. First, the dominant spoilage fungi (CW1, CW3, and W53) were isolated from naturally infected blue honeysuckle and identified through morphological features, inoculation study, and rDNA-ITS analysis were matched to Alternaria alternata , Metuloidea reniformis , and Rhizopus microsporus , respectively. Next, the filter paper method determined the sensitivity of EOs to the dominant spoilage fungi, and four kinds with better antifungal effects were screened out. Two or three combinations of four EOs were evaluated using a checkerboard analysis method. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was used to assess the interactions between the combinations. The combinations of cinnamon/oregano, cinnamon/clove, oregano/clove, and cinnamon/oregano/clove showed synergistic effects (FICI ≤0.5). The best three-oil combination had a volume ratio of 31:8:8 compared to a single oil. Finally, in vivo, experiments showed that combining triple groups of EOs could prevent the spoilage of postharvest honeysuckle. Compared with the control group, the triple groups of essential oil combination maintained the best color, quality, and flavor of blue honeysuckle berries. At the same time, the spoilage rate and the weight loss rate were reduced by 38.50% and 40.71%, respectively. Delayed spoilage time to 3–5 days and the preservation effect of blue honeysuckle was extended to 16 days. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for substituting chemical preservatives and highlights the potential of using complex EOs to prolong the freshness of blue honeysuckle. [Display omitted] • The dominant spoilage fungi causing spoilage of blue honeysuckle were isolated and purified for the first time in China. • The inoculation study of blue honeysuckle showed that the spoilage rate reached 100%, which satisfied the Koch hypothesis. • The synergistic antifungal activity of essential oils on the dominant spoilage fungi was determined. • In vivo assay on blue honeysuckle confirmed the synergistic fresh-keeping effect of essential oils combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the trade in artists' materials in Canton between 1750 and 1842. Through an investigation of China's foreign trade archives and records, this study gives a picture of international trade in artists' materials, particularly pigments, during this period in Canton. Furthermore, it reveals a close trade in Western modern pigments between the West and China. The results of this research may be helpful to conservators and conservation scientists conducting treatments or technical studies on Chinese export paintings of this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the application of intergenerational theory as its analytical framework, this paper seeks to provide new insights into the social construction of sugar-sweetened food and food practices in the context of contemporary urban China, drawing on 16 months' in-depth qualitative research in the city of Chongqing. From an intergenerational perspective, it argues that although adults and children both typically construct sugar-sweetened food as "bad" for health based on the logic of its biological meaning, there are more generational differences in the understandings of sociocultural meanings associated with these foods, which are the main reasons may lead to intergenerational conflict. Caregivers tend to regard their control of children's sugar-sweetened food intake as a means to discipline their children's bodies and develop food moralities. However, children themselves are likely to perform sugar-sweetened food practices as a way of socializing and sometimes resisting the control of caregivers. Based on this, this paper further shows that these diverse views are rooted in the tension between caregivers' anxiety about the transmission of food moralities through intensive parenting practices and children's agency in food consumption in contemporary urban China. These findings enhance intergenerational-theoretical research and highlight the need to move beyond the analytical framework of "behaviour change" in related food and health studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on seafarers and the Internet so far has focused primarily on Internet access onboard ships. It frames Internet access as a welfare issue concerning seafarers' communication with their families. This paper expands the focus to examine how seafarers use the Internet and social media to build and extend their social networks for reciprocal support and solidarity. Taking a case study approach, this paper examines two cases of Chinese seafarers protecting their rights online. The data were collected from relevant Internet and social media sites in 2022. The two cases demonstrate that the Internet and social media provide social spaces for Chinese seafarers to expand their social networks and form online professional communities, which afford them new resources to defend their rights and protect their interests. In the context that the Chinese seafarers' union does not function to represent and help seafarers in labor and employment matters, these resources are particularly salient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In diaspora and post-colonial communities, ethnic Chinese people tend to adopt names that are common in majority English-speaking countries. Compared to these communities, less attention has been paid to mainland Chinese, where the practice of adopting an English name is in the process of becoming normalised among the current generation of fifteen to thirty-five-year-olds. This paper is part of a wider project to examine the English naming practices of Chinese students from mainland China. It focuses specifically on name choices and the reasons for these choices. A 44-item questionnaire was completed by 357 mainland Chinese students, and this paper reports the quantitative data relevant to name choices and the reasons behind them. The results display an array of preferred English names and suggest that one of the key aspects of name choice is the uniqueness of the name, which served multiple purposes: distinguishing themselves from the peers, enabling them to be remembered, and expressing their identity. Additionally, Chinese students demonstrated a high degree of agency in their name choices, which was evident in the creative approaches used in name selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a brief introduction to Chinese posthumous names. This name system is based on the opposition between positive and negative evaluations of the deceased. It was employed as a means for negotiating legitimacy and shaping the historical record. This article also provides information on the "Order of Posthumous Names Explained", a chapter of the Neglected Zhou Scriptures. This chapter is a canonical source for the study of Chinese posthumous names. It is commonly seen by scholars as an ancient onomasticon used to assign posthumous names. This paper argues that, in its present form, this chapter is a complex medieval compilation of multiple earlier sources. This paper counters the narrow interpretation of onomasticons of Chinese posthumous names as manuals for assigning names to the deceased. Instead, it postulates that onomasticons of posthumous names were also used as aids in the interpretation of history. They provided meaningful moralistic interpretations for the posthumous names attested in historical sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of mobile technology has facilitated the widespread adoption of digital currency worldwide. An important application of mobile technology is digital currency, which has gained global popularity due to its blockchain and peer-to-peer mobile payment mechanisms. The emergence of private digital currencies, such as Bitcoin, poses a challenge to the monetary policy of governments. To address this threat, many central banks are developing their own central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) with legal support. China's CBDC, e-CNY (electronic China Yuan), is one of the most advanced examples of this innovation. However, the adoption and usage of e-CNY by residents is still limited and requires improvement. This paper aims to identify and analyze the factors that influence residents' willingness to use e-CNY, based on a literature review and a logistic regression model. The results indicate that residents' awareness, convenience, cost, promotional activities, and the involvement of relevant parties (merchants, commercial banks, payment institutions, and the People's Bank of China (PBC)) significantly influence their willingness to use e-CNY. This paper presents implications and suggestions for promoting and implementing e-CNY in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem-based learning teaching models is a student-centered teaching model. This paper searched China's largest database, China Knowledge Network, using the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines method to search and screen prospective studies on the teaching effectiveness of the PBL teaching model published from 2013 to 2023, and based on the pre-set inclusion/exclusion criteria, a total of 30 papers were selected. The results show that the PBL teaching model effectively improves Chinese undergraduate students' achievement and critical thinking, and therefore, PBL can be implemented in Chinese undergraduate education. However, the use of the PBL teaching model is narrow due to its late start in China, and a more rigorous methodology and mixed-methods design of the studies are needed to improve the transferability of the results. Keywords: problem-based learning teaching model, achievement, critical thinking skill, Chinese undergraduate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-natural habitats (SNHs) surrounding agricultural fields contribute significantly to biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. SNHs can be divided into large habitat patches such as contiguous patches of forests, and smaller, interspersed linear habitat types such as grassy field margins. Traditional small-holder agricultural farmlands in China, replete with rich linear habitats, are notably beneficial for biodiversity. However, as these farmlands undergo consolidation to enhance the efficiency of machinery, linear habitats are being removed, a process that could adversely affect biodiversity. Appropriate agri-environmental measures (AEM), such as the restoration of field margins via strategic planting, could serve as an effective countermeasure to maintain biodiversity in consolidated land. This paper discusses how biodiversity monitoring can aid in evaluating the impact of land consolidation and the efficacy of AEM in China, from species richness and species composition perspectives. The paper also discusses the function of linear habitats and how they interact with large habitat patches in promoting biodiversity, while noting that outcomes are likely to vary among taxa. Long-term, multiple-taxa and comprehensive assessments are recommended in further studies, and a collaborative approach that involves multiple stakeholders is essential to ensure a success implication of AEM in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper provides a rationale and historical review of higher vocational education (HVE) globally and in China. The expansion of HVE is driven by dominant themes in policy, such as the encouragement of academics' societal engagement (ASE) for economic development and the need to address social problems like youth unemployment and poverty. The paper examines the development of HVE in China, which has faced challenges related to the degree of connection with high school curriculum and social stigma. The government has implemented the policies to elevate the social status and acceptance of HVE, enhancing its quality and relevance, and reinforcing its governance and management structures. Method: The paper also analyses the prominent research directions and development trends of HVE in China from 2000 to 2023, using the VOS viewer mapping tool and Web of Science. Findings: The result shows that key words like "study," "student," "education," and "vocational college," indicate key themes and focal points in the discourse. In addition, the terms "quality" and "management" being prominent in the analysis reveal concerns for maintaining and improving the quality of higher vocational education. In this way, understanding the mediating effects of "management" can provide possible solutions. While desk-based reviews using VOS viewer as an analysis tool offer valuable insights, they may lack the depth of contextual understanding that can be gained through qualitative analysis. Future Research: This paper calls for future study in the management of faculty deans in HVE institutions and the mediating effect of teachers on improving general teaching quality and student achievement, with an aim of improving the international standards of the vocational education and offering a significant intuition on the development of HVE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to investigate the factors influencing citizens' willingness to participate in the development of smart cities. Design/methodology/approach: Citizens drawn from 30 second-tier cities in China were chosen as the research object for this empirical research. Based on citizenship behavior theory, research hypotheses were tested and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings: The results indicated that information publicity has a direct and positive effect on residents' participation behavior. Perceived benefits, personal responsibility and subjective norms are positively associated with residents' citizenship. Additionally, citizenship was found to affect residents' participation intention positively. Finally, the moderating effect of information credibility in this context was also verified. Originality/value: As one of the first empirical studies on this topic, this paper offers important guidance for future research regarding residents' participation in the development of smart cities. On this basis, the implications of this research with respect to policies that aim to encourage residents to participate in the construction of smart cities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the ideology of monolingualism prevails in traditional English language classroom teaching, it is gradually failing to meet the current dynamic landscape of socio-linguistic and socio-cultural diversity. Translanguaging has created more spaces for students to use their varied linguistic and multimodal repertoires to express themselves and enhance learning in actual classroom practices. This paper aims to explore students' perceptions and practices of translanguaging at a university located in southeast China. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and reflective journals. The study employed qualitative content analysis to investigate the ways in which the establishment of a translanguaging space might facilitate students' access to linguistic and epistemic equity. The paper ends with suggestions and implications regarding the importance of raising students' awareness of translanguaging as a means to embrace all languages, meaning-making resources, and previous knowledge for equitable English language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. This paper investigates the effect of cross-reporting quality transfer: the association between the merits of the financial auditor and the quality of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Specifically, we examine whether the effect of Big Four financial audits on the CSR reporting quality of Chinese listed firms differs from that of non-Big Four firms. Design/methodology/approach. This paper uses archival data and regression analysis from a sample (5257 firm-year observations) of A-share listed firms on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2009 to 2018. Findings. The analysis shows that when a company's financial auditor is a Big Four firm, the quality of CSR reports is higher than when it is audited by non-Big Four auditor, which in turn can be explained by differences in cross-reporting quality transfer between Big Four and non-Big Four firms. Moreover, this effect is more pronounced in non-stateowned enterprises (NSOEs) than in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), and among firms residing in high-pressure legal environments as opposed to low-pressure regions. Originality. This study extends the literature on the quality of CSR reporting based on the type of financial reporting audit provider, thus bridging the gap between financial audit and sustainability reporting practice and elucidating the cross-reporting quality transfer effect. Practical implications. The paper's findings shed light on the impact that Big Four firms have on the quality of CSR reports through financial audits, thus confirming the cross-reporting quality transfer effect in China. These findings might appeal to political decision-makers, authorities and companies given the notable contribution of CSR disclosure to the decision-making processes of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable assessments of the impact of information infrastructure construction on entrepreneurship will support the development of the digital economy in China. Using nationwide data from 2005 to 2017, this paper analyzes the causal effect of the "Broadband China" pilot policy on entrepreneurship based on a difference-in-differences approach. We find that information infrastructure construction significantly enhances entrepreneurship, which is robust under different settings. A mechanism exploration suggests that constructing information infrastructure benefits information acquisition, knowledge spillovers, and risk-taking behavior, which illustrate the internal mechanism of promoting entrepreneurship. Taken together, this paper supports the positive role of the digital economy in the promotion of entrepreneurship in addition to providing new insights into the construction of information infrastructure to support entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's New Energy Vehicle (NEV) industry has entered an accelerated development stage, with the technology innovation efficiency becoming an essential factor affecting the speed of its development. Therefore, to explore ways to improve the efficiency of technology innovation, this paper divides the technology innovation process into two stages: the research and development (R&D) stage and the commercialization stage. This paper introduces a framework for evaluating the technology innovation efficiency of NEV enterprises based on data envelopment analysis (DEA), meta-frontier, and tobit regression. Then, the technology innovation efficiencies of 45 vehicle, battery, and motor & electronic control NEV enterprises are analyzed. The results show that: (i) During the survey period, the overall technology innovation capability of Chinese new energy vehicle enterprises is not strong, especially regarding economic transformation. However, the general development trend is on the rise. (ii) Different types of enterprises have different technology gap ratios in the two stages. The technology innovation efficiency level of motor and electronic control enterprises is relatively weak in the new energy vehicle industry. (iii) Many measures can be implemented to help improve technology innovation efficiency: encouraging the large-scale development of enterprises, reasonably increasing the shareholding ratio of significant shareholders, improving the ratio of capital investment, stimulating the vitality of innovation within the enterprise, and optimizing the number of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy synergy is a unique way for the government to establish a policy network and a crucial way for cities to expand their carbon reduction channels. Using urban data from China, this paper empirically investigates how environmental governance policy synergy (EGPS) affects carbon emissions. In comparison to non-pilot cities, the environmental information disclosure (EID) policy and low-carbon city (LC) policy play an inhibitory role in carbon emissions. Furthermore, EGPS has a stronger effect and is heterogeneous by region. Through the use of technical advancement and industrial structure optimisation, EGPS lowers carbon emissions, and this effect of EGPS grows over time in tandem with the level of environmental pollution in the cities. Our paper proposes policy implications in order to improve the overall effect of environmental governance policy and help achieve the dual carbon targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional manufacturing industry is China's second-largest source of carbon emissions, and the successful completion of dual carbon target depend on the traditional manufacturing industry's ability to reduce emissions. This paper constructs the evaluation index system to analyze the driving factors and green coupling level of the digital economy enabling the green development of traditional manufacturing industry from three aspects: industry digitalization capacity, socio-economic benefits capacity and ecological resources carrying capacity based on the theory of social shaping of technology. From the perspective of regional economic development, this paper constructs the spatial Durbin model and threshold regression model to analyze the mediation effect and spatial spillover mechanism of the digital economy empowering the green development of traditional manufacturing industry. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2020, the empirical analysis show that digital economy has the positive impact on the green development of traditional manufacturing industry through the digital innovation, industrial upgrading and human capital. At same time, the digital economy has a positive spatial autocorrelation pattern of the green development of traditional manufacturing industries with "high in the eastern and low in the western of China" from the global Moran index. Through the policy test of carbon-trading pilot programs by the difference-in-differences model, the digital economy has a non-linear impact on the intensive production of traditional manufacturing industry, which green finance activate the new impetus of market and the data element resources enhance industrial coordination development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure sustainable development, there is a limit to the extent of urbanization. Thus, rural development is an essential strategy that many nations must work on to ensure optimal economic, environmental, and social outcomes at a country level. However, rural development in itself is challenging because rural communities typically have limited resources and capabilities to address common livelihood challenges, let alone take on new economic roles. Hence, as part of rural revitalization strategies, innovation plays a critical role. A wide range of technologies can facilitate innovation in rural development, including the internet and new agricultural technologies. In addition, new mindsets and shifts in values, such as the changing trends of work and consumerism, can create opportunities for rural areas to adopt innovation and develop new growth engines. However, it should be noted that the nature of innovation in rural and urban settings are different. In rural regions, growth could be enabled through more specific types of innovations, including frugal innovation, inclusive innovation, and social innovation. To enable these forms of innovations in rural areas, this paper proposes a three-dimensional process model that includes pro-social technological innovation policy, rural innovation governance, and dynamic networks that close the gap between rural and urban innovation systems. Examples from China, such as the development of Tengtou Village and Taobao Villages serve to demonstrate these concepts. Overall, the discussions in the paper suggest that to enable innovation in rural development, it is necessary to foster closer interactions between rural and urban innovation ecosystems for the former to leverage the latter's technologies, networks, and resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing student motivation to manage their learning process and attain selftransformation in Oral English learning presents a notable challenge. This study emerged from a Role Play Oral English Course (RPOEC) which utilizes English cartoon film clips to enhance primary students' oral English skills through role play, facilitating meaningful language input and output. Implemented in a Chinese context where English language exposure is limited, this qualitative case study, combined with action research, explores how autonomous learning is fostered through RPOEC. The study engaged a Grade Six class of 30 students (25 girls and 5 boys) in northern China, investigating strategies to trigger learners' interests and form their independent learner identities autonomously, empower learners in their educational journey, encourage reflective practices in oral English learning, and involve learners in evaluative processes. Data, collected through a combination of observations, focus group discussions, and document analysis for three months, were thematically analyzed across four intertwined perspectives: situated learning, interactive communication, cooperative learning, and evaluative discussions. The paper posits that the outlined curricular approach can be tailored to educators' needs aiming to cultivate students' oral English skills within a situated, interactive, and collaborative learning environment, pushing learners towards autonomous engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of English Teaching & Learning is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates how political connections affect the relationship between trade policy uncertainty and corporate investment by utilizing Chinese non-financial firm-level data from 2003 to 2022. We find that trade policy uncertainty inhibits corporate investment by decreasing expected cash flows, increasing cash flow uncertainty, and lowering investment returns. Political connections mitigate the adverse impact of trade policy uncertainty on corporate investment by increasing government subsidies, alleviating financing constraints, and improving investment inefficiency for firms. The results are robust to changing variables measurements, alternating econometric model settings, and addressing endogeneity concerns. We also find the adverse impact of trade policy uncertainty on corporate investment is more pronounced for non-state-owned firms and small-sized firms, and the positive role of political connections benefits firms with higher financing constraints, lacking bank-firm relationships, and regions with lower institutional quality. Our findings highlight that optimizing the business environment and strengthening the communication between firms and governments are crucial for coping with unexpected policy uncertainty shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of environmental information disclosure on firm pollution behavior by leveraging an exogenous shock which allow Chinese environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) to disclose pollution information. Using a difference-in-differences approach comparing firms in disclosed cities versus undisclosed cities, we find ENGO information disclosure significantly reduces manufacturing firm COD emissions. We explore several potential mechanisms and find that the reduction effect was primarily driven by "higher-level government supervision" rather than "public supervision." Heterogeneous analysis reveals significant effects only for firms facing high reduction pressure, low governance costs, weak local protection, and in heavy-polluting industries. Our findings provide insights into supplementing inadequate regulations with informal institutions to achieve environmental aims within a decentralized economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst pressing global needs for environmental protection and sustainable development, the international community expects corporations to play a vital role, balancing profit pursuits with environmental responsibility. As the world's second-largest economy and a manufacturing giant, China's environmental governance and corporate models become a research centerpiece. Using the panel data of Chinese A-share heavy polluting industry listed companies from 2013 to 2020, and adopting the Linear-In-Means Model, this paper proposes for the first time that the corporate environmental financial integration is significantly influenced by the peer enterprises. Further research finds that: 1) Peer effect is more significant in private enterprises than state-owned enterprises. 2)The peer effect of environmental pollution integration of heavily polluting enterprises is sticky, mainly reflected in the effect of focus enterprises following peer enterprises to reduce their own environmental financial integration is stronger than the effect of following peer enterprises to upgrade synchronously. And this kind of stickiness is more significant in private enterprises. 3) The institutional pressure has a role in promoting the peer effect of enterprise environmental financial integration, and more significant in state-owned enterprises. Delving into the dynamics of Chinese enterprises in environmental management and financial strategies serves not only to excavate lessons from China's experience but also contributes to the global reservoir of wisdom on environmental protection and green development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Green Financial Reform and Innovation (GFRI) policy not only serves as a crucial tool for facilitating a comprehensive transition towards sustainable practices in economic and social development but also has a significant influence on the operational activities of companies. However, there is limited research on whether the GFRI policy can affect companies' overcapacity. To address this gap, we use data from the China Stock Market & Accounting Research Database and the Chinese Research Data Services Platform to evaluate the impact of green finance on companies' overcapacity. The results show that the GFRI policy can effectively alleviate companies' overcapacity. Moreover, the GFRI policy can alleviate companies' overcapacity by strengthening market competition, enhancing financing constraints, and promoting innovation. Further, the GFRI policy exerts a more pronounced effect on alleviating overcapacity in non-labor-intensive companies, companies in heavily polluting industries, and companies in regions with weak environmental supervision. This paper not only supplements the relevant literature on alleviating overcapacity but also provides more theoretical support for promoting a national green financial system in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollution reduction and low-carbon development are two specific but intertwined goals of addressing climate change and sustainable development of the United Nations in 2030, and the effective use of digital financial inclusion is imperative for driving technical innovation, upgrading industrial structure, and addressing climate change. Therefore, this paper investigates the impact of digital financial inclusion on the coupling coordination between pollution reduction and low-carbon development using a panel dataset of 30 China's provinces from 2011 to 2020. The results show that the coupling coordination between pollution reduction and low-carbon development in China improves significantly during the sample period. The synergistic effect of different economic zones and provinces varies greatly in space and time. In addition, digital financial inclusion has a promoting effect on the coupling coordination of pollution and carbon emission reduction. A mechanism analysis also reveals that technological innovation, industrial structure and energy consumption are the core transmission channels through which digital financial inclusion influences the synergistic effect of pollution and carbon emission reduction. This suggests that the need of coordinated governance by policymakers is warranted, and digital financial inclusion is an important way to this coordinated governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government aims to balance employment stabilization and emissions reduction when it initiates an emissions trading scheme (ETS) to control carbon emissions. However, the policymakers should not neglect the role of imperfectly competitive market structure and market power from incumbent firms. In view of this, classical framework of Berman and Bui's (2001) is extended in this paper to clarify the theoretical mechanism of employment effect of the ETS considering firm-level market power. In addition, based on the firm-level panel data from 2008 to 2019 of China, the employment effect of each pilot ETS is measured with the method of difference-in-difference-in-differences. Then a moderating effect model is established to verify the role of firm-level market power on the heterogeneous employment effect among the pilot ETSs. Moreover, the employment effect is further decomposed to evaluate the influential mechanism from the perspective of firms' strategic behavior. It is found that there is negative employment effect of China's ETS policy, due to the significant moderating role of firm-level market power. This decrease in labor demand is mainly dominated by a negative output effect rather than a positive substitution effect because strategic allowance sellers with stronger market power tend to hire fewer employees to reduce carbon emissions by controlling production scale. However, the heterogeneity of policy effects resulted by market structure is also identified in different pilot regions. Employment dividend has been found in Beijing and Tianjin where strategic allowance buyers manipulate the carbon market and hire more employees to consolidate their market power. Therefore, policymakers should improve the design of the ETS to overcome the adverse employment effect duo to the region-specific market structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of significant environmental changes, the urgency of adopting green innovation has become increasingly apparent as a central mechanism for adjusting industrial structures in China. This transition serves not only as a crucial way to address pressing environmental challenges, but also as a fundamental strategy to improve the ecological efficiency of urban areas. Existing research mainly keeps a close eye on the unidirectional relationship between variables such as technological innovation and environmental protection. There is less relevant literature that has researched the cointegration relationship among green innovation, industrial structure, and eco-efficiency of cities. The essential role of green innovation and industrial structure in reaching a higher eco-efficiency of city are discussed in this research and the relationship among these three variables are analyzed by the evidence from cities in China from 2011 to 2019. The fact that the variables are cointegrated in the long run is evidenced by the results for the full sample. The sub-sample results report that in the eastern region, green innovation, industrial structure upgrading, and industrial structure rationalization could improve urban eco-efficiency. However, in Midwest regions where economic development is relatively backward, green innovation's effect on urban eco-efficiency is not in a significant positive way. The results obtained in this paper have implications for different cities in China to formulate corresponding policies on green innovation, industrial structure, and urban eco-efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil-based natural resources are carbon-intensive, and over-reliance on them often leads to persistent high carbon emissions at national or regional levels, resulting in the carbon curse. Based on the panel data of 114 resource-based cities in China from 2007 to 2020, this paper examines the carbon curse and solutions for these cities from the perspectives of total and intensity of carbon emissions. The results show that: Firstly, due to the different stages of urban development, resource endowment, degree of resource dependence, and policy background, there is a heterogeneity of carbon curse in China's resource-based cities. Secondly, the carbon emission trading policy can effectively mitigate the carbon curse in China's resource-based cities, and the robustness tests demonstrate the validity of this finding. Thirdly, under the carbon emission trading policy, industrial structure upgrading and digital transformation can play a secondary moderating role in resolving the carbon curse in resource-based cities, further strengthening the inhibitory effect of the carbon emission trading scheme on the carbon curse. In contrast, green technology innovation exhibits no enhancement in the impact of the policy. These findings contribute to the existing research on the carbon curse, offering valuable insights and policy implications for effectively addressing this challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the moderating role of the macroeconomic environment in the crash risk-policy uncertainty sensitivity. We find that managers have lower risk perception and crash risk is less sensitive to policy uncertainty during periods of economic expansion. Managers' risk perception is the critical channel through which the macroeconomic environment affects the relationship between crash risk and policy uncertainty. Consequently, when firms' managers have an accurate understanding of the future economic environment, the moderating effect of economic growth is lower. This manifests in the weaker moderating effect of economic growth for SOEs and firms with stronger managerial ability, lower managerial ownership, and high media attention, which further supports the risk perception channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of green finance (GF) on renewable energy development efficiency (REDE) has garnered considerable attention from both academia and society. To study the changes in China's REDE in recent years and GF's effect on it, this research first evaluates 30 provinces' REDE from 2010 to 2019 using a non-radial directional distance function (NDDF) based on global technical assumptions. Second, we evaluate the direct impact of GF on REDE. Finally, we explore the internal mechanism for how GF influences REDE. The results of this study are as follows. (1) GF has a significant promoting effect on REDE. (2) The improvement of renewable energy (RE) technological innovation level and the increase of foreign investment strengthen GE's promoting effect on REDE. (3) The positive effect of GF on REDE is prominent in regions with lower environmental regulations and carbon intensities and higher financial development levels. This paper offers relevant policy suggestions to improve REDE and to enhance GF development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new engine of economic growth, marine economy has gradually attracted the high attention of countries around the world. At the same time, digital technology is becoming a crucial propeller to empower almost all perspectives of economic sustainable development. This research delineates the exploration of the distinctive regional attributes pertinent to the sustainable development of the marine economy and its interrelation with digital technology in China. Utilizing data spanning from 2013 to 2021 across China's eleven coastal areas, this paper adopts the entropy method to develop comprehensive index systems of both marine economy sustainable development and digital technology to evaluate regional their spatiotemporal characteristics, interrelations, and potential mechanisms based on the panel fixed effects model and Dagum Gini coefficient. The results show that both the level of digital technology and green development in marine economy exhibit a steady upward trend with significant regional differences and hierarchical phenomenon. Notably, regional development disparities within the tripartite major marine economic zones are discernible, with intra- and inter-regional variances being markedly pronounced. Further analysis affirm a substantial linkage between digital technology and the sustainable development of the marine economy, positing technological innovation as a plausible conduit. Our findings advocate for the augmentation of digital technology application through technological innovation, as a strategy to foster the sustainable development of the marine economy while ensuring regional equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realizing environmental protection and employment stability when facing strict environmental regulations is an essential issue of concern for many developing countries, including China. Based on a dataset of Chinese listed companies and a dataset of Chinese individual labor-force surveys, this paper uses an estimation technique pairing propensity score matching with a difference-in-differences estimator to examine the impact of the new Environmental Protection Law (EPL) on the supply and demand of labor at the micro level and the reallocation effect of interindustry labor at the macro level. The results show that the new EPL generated employment losses at the micro level. The policy reduces firms' labor demand by lowering firms' output and total investment expenditures and, in the process, does not stimulate firms' innovative behavior. Moreover, implementing the new EPL reduces the wage income of workers, which in turn reduces the labor supply. Conversely, at the macro level, the new EPL promotes the transfer of labor from polluting to cleaner industries, realizes the reallocation of labor between industries, and thus promotes the transformation and upgrading of regional industrial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studii de Ştiintă şi Cultură is the property of Studii de Stiinta si Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One specific phenomenon in the Spring Festival travel rush in China is that purchasing a train ticket becomes tough as the train tickets could be sold out extremely soon. Therefore, the current paper presents an analysis of college students' trip ticket purchasing strategies for homecoming trips during Chinese Spring Festival using a sequential stated adaptation experiment, based on which three different choice models were applied and the results show that 1) college students would keep purchasing the ticket of planned train trip and this willingness would decrease with the increasing of the times they fail to get the ticket; 2) if college students decide to give up the conventional train trip they have planned, they have a tendency to choose other conventional train trips, but it is not the case regarding high-speed train trips; 3) air itinerary trips are attractive alternatives to trains trips, especially to high-speed train trips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scholars have been debating the geopolitical importance of the strengthening China-Russia relationship for some time, noting that the relationship does not constitute a full alliance, but still might have great significance for world politics. This paper aims to improve on this scholarship by examining the evolution of China-Russia cooperation as it relates to the future of North Korea, especially in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Design, Methodology, Approach: This scholarship represents a methodological advance over most previous discussions of the China-Russia relationship. It embraces the historical development of this relationship, probes structural arrangements in relationship to regional stability, and also draws upon extensive Russian and Chinese language data sets which constitute the material for a “discourse analysis,” to achieve a deeper understanding of this relationship as it pertains to the Korean Peninsula. Findings: Overall, this study documents substantial cooperation between Beijing and Moscow with respect to Korean affairs. While some disagreements between China and Russia do exist in this sphere, the main implication of these developments is the trend toward a hardening of the bipolar structure in Northeast Asia, informed by the growing influence of patriotic and nationalistic elite groups within both China and Russia. However, the study points out a paradox in that this hardening of bipolarity could actually help to stabilize the spiraling tensions that have surrounded North Korea in recent decades. Practical Implications: This paper may help students and policymakers alike in Northeast Asia evaluate the significance of the China-Russia quasi-alliance. Overall, this paper supports the conclusion that the dangers of the China-Russia quasi-alliance need not be exaggerated. Originality Value: This paper is innovative insofar as it gives balanced attention to both China’s and Russia’s discourses and policies toward North Korea and evaluates the influence of Moscow-Beijing’s growing cooperation in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, as it may impact the future of North Korea and the wider region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]