Bilateral Cooperation Research Articles

Relief item inventory planning under centralized and decentralized bilateral cooperation and uncertain transshipment quantities

Pre-positioning relief inventory ensures timely delivery of in-kind aid after a catastrophe. Tragic disasters like major earthquakes are rare and unpredictable; therefore, stockpiled items may not be used. To avoid over-stocking and reduce shortage risk, the cooperation of two humanitarian agencies in supporting each other in case of shortages is suggested in the literature. In this study, we utilize newsvendor-based quantitative models to optimize the pre-disaster stocking decisions of agencies under centralized and decentralized cooperation mechanisms. In the former, both agencies jointly determine their inventory levels to maximize their combined benefits of relief operations, whereas, in the latter, each agency establishes its stocking level in isolation via a game theoretic approach. In both systems, the two agencies agree to transship their excessive items to the other party if needed. In this regard, we investigate the situation where only a portion of the transshipped items, denoted as the reliability factor, can be received and effectively utilized at the destination due to the chaotic nature of the disaster. Considering a deterministic reliability factor, we obtain the singular optimal inventory levels in the centralized system and identify the unique Nash Equilibrium in the decentralized system. Subsequently, we formulate a two-stage stochastic program, considering a random reliability factor for both cooperation systems. The study concludes by offering a range of managerial insights. Our analyses quantify the sub-optimality resulting from decentralized decision-making across diverse parameter settings using the concept of the price of anarchy. The findings highlight that centralized cooperation becomes particularly advisable when the average demand within either agency is high, the transshipment process is secure (i.e., the reliability factor is high), and transshipment costs remain low.

THE GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN PROTECTING INDONESIAN MIGRANT WORKERS IN SAUDI ARABIA DURING THE JOKO WIDODO ADMINISTRASION

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest destination countries for Indonesian immigrant workers, where the majority are women. Unfortunately, most of them are also victims of physical torture, sexual violence and rational discrimination. This resulted in many cases emerging as a result of this torture. However, the policies during the Jokowi era are considered quite progressive compared to the policies for protecting migrant workers during the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) period with the presence of special laws, not just Presidential Regulations as were issued during the SBY era. How and why the government plays such a significant role is the main study in this research. This research uses a qualitative approach with a library study type of research. The results found were that the government during Jokowi's leadership played a big role in protecting the rights of Indonesian migrant workers, especially in Saudi Arabia. This role is reflected in the government's responsibility in various policies which make Jokowi's policies considered pro People Diplomacy. Through the 2015-2019 Medium Term Development Plan, for example and supported by Nawa Cita, during the Jokowi government, Law Number 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers was issued as the highest legal umbrella which was then also followed by other policies such as bilateral cooperation and placement systems. channel (SPSK) or One Channel System. The Jokowi government's policy is based on two reasons. First, the fact that immigrant workers in Saudi Arabia contribute the largest remittance of all migrant workers in various countries, beating Malaysia (Kompas, 2023). Second, migrant workers are a potential profession to meet Indonesia's demographic bonus target in the future. Therefore, this research sees that the government's role in protecting migrant workers has been very good during the Jokowi administration. It's just that the issue of Indonesian migrant workers requires commitment from other actors who also play a very important role, such as distribution companies or providers of migrant workers.

Colombia-Venezuela border: Securitisation of migration and Venezuela’s political crisis

Colombia and Venezuela share a geographi­cal border of 1,274 miles. Although both countries have historically had contentious border crossings, the antagonistic nature of migration across the borderlands has increased following Venezuela’s current in­ternal political crisis. The article argues that Venezuela’s political climate has led to further securitisation of migration across the Colombian-Venezuelan border. It sup­ports this argument in three ways. First, the article discusses the border as both a geo­graphical and a man-made border. It also examines the similarities and differences that exist across the Colombian-Venezuelan border. The countries share the same lan­guage, Spanish, which unites the region and its diverse peoples with a shared history. Nevertheless, socio-economic, environmen­tal and cultural differences widen the divid­ing lines between these two nations. Second, the article explores the bor­der crossing (migration) trends. The article further discusses the effects and reasons for such border crossings. Third, it explains the securitisation theory and uses it to discuss how the border has become increasingly se­curitised by local and international actors. Finally, the article calls for a de-securitised approach to cross-border migration. In this regard, the article supports greater bilateral, regional and international cooperation to address the plight of people crossing the border and living in border regions

Study on CGTN’s English Communication on Latin America in the Context of the Belt and Road Initiative

This paper takes the English reports about “Latin America” in the CGTN’s official mobile application from 2021 to 2023 as the research object, with a total of 89 pieces of valid data collected. Methods of content analysis and case studies are used to analyze communicators, messages, media, and audience, aligning with Lasswell’s 5W model. The following features are obtained: in terms of communicators, CGTN is authoritative and professional, and the subjects in the report are diverse; in terms of messages, it covers a wide range of topics and highlights the common values of mankind; in terms of media, it is in line with the audio-visual communication method in the new media era; in terms of audience, the content is audience-oriented. The suggestions for enhancing bilateral cooperation based on these findings are likely to be valuable for policymakers and stakeholders involved in China-Latin America relations.

Network Context and the Effectiveness of International Agreements

Abstract Why do some international agreements yield more cooperation than others? I argue that the network context of agreements conditions their effectiveness. I focus on bilateral defense cooperation agreements (DCAs), which promote defense activities like joint military exercises, peacekeeping, arms trade, and the sharing of classified information. Because DCAs emphasize ongoing cooperative actions, they offer an ideal setting to assess treaty effectiveness. The analysis shows that when agreements are embedded in transitive “friend of friend” relations, characterized by extensive ties to common third parties, they generate higher levels of cooperation. I argue that this network effect is the result of policy convergence. When states share ties with common third parties, their own policies become more closely aligned, and this alignment in turn reduces the costs and increases the benefits of cooperative actions. The theory and findings developed here apply to a wide array of cooperative interactions across multiple issue areas. The effectiveness of international agreements depends on network context.

INDONESIA - CHINA BILATERAL COOPERATION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE MARITIME SECTOR AS AN EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THE WORLD MARITIME AXIS VISION

This study aims to determine the bilateral cooperation efforts that the Indonesian government has carried out to improve the quality of human resources in the country to realize the vision of becoming the world's maritime axis. The Indonesian government recognizes that the country's waters have diverse maritime potential and are essential for world trade routes. If appropriately utilized, Indonesia's territorial waters can become a strategic point for many countries. President Joko Widodo's desire to make Indonesia the world's maritime axis is driven by the realization that Indonesia needs help to achieve this vision because it still has limitations in managing and developing its maritime sector. Therefore, the Indonesian government needs support from other countries, including China, to establish bilateral cooperation. This research is descriptive and uses a qualitative approach. The techniques used in data collection are interviews and data collection from various written sources, such as documents, journals, scientific articles, books, newspapers, reports, and others. The results of this study show that bilateral cooperation carried out by the Indonesian government is bearing fruit because China is also willing to support Indonesia to achieve this vision of the world's maritime axis.

Shared adversaries in the Anglo-American Special Relationship: from the Cold War to contemporary threats

The Anglo-American Special Relationship has been at its most vibrant when the two countries have shared a common adversary. The Cold War confrontation with the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies, and then Islamist terrorism during the ‘War on Terror’, gave the relationship strength and purpose. Within these periods of intense cooperation, however, there were issues that caused tensions between the two sides. The Special Relationship languished during the decade after the end of the Cold War, as well as the period between 2008 and 2021. During these periods, the US and the UK lacked a shared external threat, which consequently led to a decline in the vitality of their bilateral cooperation. Now, however, the Special Relationship is beginning to face a new era of threat. Russia, following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and China, represent a dual challenge that is once again galvanizing the Special Relationship.

EXPERIENCE AND PROSPECTS OF CHINA-UKRAINE ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION IN THE JOINT CONSTRUCTION OF THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE FROM 2013 TO 2023

In 2013, China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative with the aim of closely integrating its rapidly developing economy with the economies of countries along the Belt and Road route, creating new opportunities for economic development through complementarity. Ukraine, located in the connecting zone between Europe and Asia, is an important country along the Belt and Road route leading to Europe. 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of China-Ukraine cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past decade, cooperation between China and Ukraine in various fields such as trade and investment has deepened, accumulating rich experience. This article systematically reviews the historical process of China-Ukraine cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative over the past ten years, analyzes the development trends of bilateral trade, and examines the experience accumulated in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, investment, mineral development, and high-tech cooperation within the Belt and Road framework. The challenges faced by the two countries in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative are also analyzed, mainly focusing on the impacts of Ukraine's domestic political instability and policy changes during regime transitions. Economic development in Ukraine has been affected by geopolitical conflicts, resulting in market instability and affecting investment and project progress. These factors pose challenges to the Belt and Road Initiative, particularly the severe impact of the outbreak of war. Additionally, this article introduces the current efforts of China and Ukraine to strengthen communication and cooperation in order to achieve a peaceful resolution as soon as possible. In the future, once the ongoing war comes to an end, both countries can leverage their ten years of experience in economic and trade cooperation. With a stable political situation and increasing market attractiveness in Ukraine, both sides can fully unleash the role of market entities, expand bilateral cooperation, promote the alignment of their economic development strategies, and actively engage in post-war reconstruction cooperation.

Menelusuri Kontroversi Klaim Budaya Perspektif Indonesia-Malaysia dalam Sengketa Warisan Budaya

This article reviews the cultural claims controversy between Indonesia and Malaysia in cultural heritage disputes. This study aims to explore the long debate between Indonesia and Malaysia regarding competing cultural claims. This article uses the research method of literature study or literature study by collecting data and information using various library resources, including books, documents, and periodicals, and archival narratives. Data collection is carried out by collecting various scientific articles from research published through google scholar. Data search was carried out using keywords relevant to the focus of this study. Data analysis is carried out qualitatively with stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of the data analysis show that tracing the controversy over cultural claims between Indonesia and Malaysia in cultural heritage disputes, illustrates the complexity of dynamics between the two countries involving aspects of history, politics, and cultural identity. Competition for claims to cultural heritage often reflects efforts to strengthen or expand national identity, while also fighting for economic rights and interests. Such conflicts emphasize the need for a cautious and evidence-based approach in resolving claims, while considering the importance of close bilateral cooperation to preserve and promote the cultural richness that forms part of a shared identity within the Southeast Asian region

An Analysis of the Legal Dimensions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Legal Effects of Iran's Accession to the SCO from an International Law Perspective

The focus of this study is to analyze the legal aspects of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the implications of Iran joining the organization, with a specific focus on international law. The research employs a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing various library resources to gather information. The SCO places a high priority on regional security, with all members committed to implementing the SCO treaty's provisions on countering terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Unlike other organizations such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact, the SCO values equal cooperation among its members and does not impose the ideologies of major powers on smaller countries. The organization promotes pluralism in participation and encourages bilateral and multilateral cooperation in areas such as commerce and economics. The Shanghai Declaration emphasizes the need to utilize the extensive potential and opportunities in these fields, with talks on trade and investment facilitation taking place within the SCO framework. Efforts to create regional security through peaceful resolution of all disputes in accordance with UN resolutions, concerns about the situation in Afghanistan as a serious threat to regional and global peace and stability, and opening political dialogue to promote mutual trust and greater multilateral cooperation are among the principles of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The (Political) Economics of Bilateral Investment Treaties—The Unique Trajectory of Brazil

Brazil, after signing several traditional Bilateral Investment Treaties without ratifying them, recently shifted towards a different type of bilateral investment agreement, i.e., Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements. Two claims have been made in the literature regarding the transition from traditional Bilateral Investment Treaties to Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements—Claim #1: The non-ratification of the traditional BITs has not harmed Foreign Direct Investment into Brazil, a claim which puts into question the purpose of Bilateral Investment Treaties. Claim #2: While Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements avoid some of the problems of traditional Bilateral Investment Treaties, on balance they are less effective than traditional Bilateral Investment Treaties would have been. We examine the two claims from an empirical economic point of view. We build on the literature about Brazil’s position vis-à-vis Bilateral Investment Treaties, which must be viewed by an amalgamation of (i) a historical legacy; (ii) domestic initiatives, and (iii) a particular U-turn in the political debate. Using empirical evidence on Foreign Direct Investment effects of Bilateral Investment Treaties, the following conclusions emerge: With regard to claim #1, empirical evidence in general as well as specific to Brazil suggests that Brazil has forgone Foreign Direct Investment by not ratifying traditional Bilateral Investment Treaties. Concerning claim #2, while Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements include alternative dispute settlement mechanisms, which aim at a better compliance of states with the Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements’ rules, rather than the compensation of foreign investors, the lower stringency of the State–State dispute settlement mechanism compared to Investor–State dispute settlement mechanism makes Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements less effective. Yet, this weakening effect must be weighed against the effects on Foreign Direct Investment from innovative clauses in Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Agreements, which are absent in many traditional Bilateral Investment Treaties.

Komoditas Dalam Skema Request - Offer Indonesia Dengan Taiwan: Analisis Inferensia Berdasarkan Database Tahun 2019

Bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Taiwan has better growth every year, while import tariffs imposed by Taiwan on Indonesia export commodities are still relatively high. This study aims to identify and analyze commodities included in the request-offer scheme between Indonesia and Taiwan based on 2019 database. Identification and analysis of annual growth value, equivalent ad valorem tariff, average export value, export share, average Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index, and RCA trend are carried out through inferential analysis. Inferential analysis is needed to determine the commodities contained in the request-offer scheme of Indonesia and Taiwan that have good performance but are still subject to high import tariffs by their partner countries. Indonesia's export commodities to Taiwan which have a good performance while the import tariffs are still high are given by Taiwan to Indonesia as Indonesia's request scheme to Taiwan, namely: processed food (ofd); tobacco (b_t); vegetables, fruits, and nuts (v_f); and fishery commodities (fsh). Taiwan export commodities to Indonesia that have good performance but are still subject to high import tariffs by Indonesia are Indonesia's offer scheme to Taiwan, namely: manufacturing (lum); cosmetics (crp); miscellaneous edible preparations (ofd); and textiles (tex). Indonesia and Taiwan can increase bilateral cooperation in the field of international trade through barriers lowering schemes and transferring science and technology from each country.

FORMATION OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF FOREIGN POLICY ACTIVITIES FOR CONDUCTING INTERSTATE RELATION

The leadership of Uzbekistan from the first days of gaining independence, showed great concern for an active multilateral foreign policy that meets the national interests of the country. At the same time, based on the strategy, principles and priority areas of foreign policy, Uzbekistan began to pay great attention to the establishment of international relations on an equal basis and the development of bilateral cooperation with almost all countries of the world community

Living beyond borders: the international legal framework to protecting rights to health of Indonesian illegal migrant workers in Malaysia

PurposeThis study aims to analyse in the health access of Indonesian illegal migrant workers in Malaysia, during which time they were not covered by Indonesia’s national social health insurance.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a sociolegal approach, the research approach is conducted to understand the effect of a law, policy and regulation on access to health-care access among Indonesian migrant workers working illegally in Malaysia. This research involved 110 respondents who work illegally in Malaysia. The research explored the perceptions of respondents concerning to health access services of illegal migrant workers.FindingsThe study demonstrated the weakness of provisions intended to guarantee the health access to health care of migrant workers from Indonesia illegally working in Malaysia. A decline in health status was observed, but it was not significant. Bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia is necessary to provide a framework for Indonesia providing health care to its citizens working in Malaysia, regardless of their legal status.Originality/valueThis paper concerns on the Indonesia illegal migrant workers experiencing illness and the access to the health service in Malaysia, and also the implementation of international regulation to protect Indonesian illegal migrant workers in Malaysia under ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers.

Mutual Inductance Identification and Bilateral Cooperation Control Strategy for MCR-BE System

Considering that the excitation method of an electric excitation synchronous motor has the disadvantages of the brush and slip ring, this article proposes a new brushless excitation system, which includes two parts: a wireless charging system and a motor. To meet the requirements of maximum transmission efficiency and constant voltage output of the system, a bilateral cooperation control strategy is proposed. For the strategy, the buck converter in the receiving side of the system can maintain maximum transmission efficiency through impedance matching, while the inverter in the transmitting side can keep the output voltage constant through phase shift modulation. In the control process, considering that the offset of coupling coils will affect the control results, a grey wolf optimization–particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed to identify mutual inductance. Simulation and experimental results show that this identification algorithm can improve the identification accuracy and maximize the avoidance of falling into local optima. The final experimental result shows that the bilateral cooperation control strategy can maintain the output voltage around 48 V and the transmission efficiency around 84.5%, which meets the expected requirements.

Optimization of Bilateral Cooperation at the Local Level: Vocational Schooling Program and Firm Productivity in Central Java

In 2011 the Indonesian and the German government initiated the Sustainable Economic Development through Technical and Vocational Education and Training Program (SED-TVET). Within the diplomacy realm, this kind of bilateral strategy has often been utilized to strengthen a country's specific needs. Following the program, Provincial Government in Central Java responds distinctively to the initiative by emphasizing link and match program to promote skilled-labor employment. This paper aims to investigate the effect of these national and local policies on firms’ productivity. Our identification of treatment year is critical as this precedes wider implementation of TVET program at the national level in 2016. To capture the precise treatment effect of the program, we deploy difference-in-difference strategy using the province’s neighbors as the control group. We find that firms in Central Java employed nearly 20% higher share of skilled labor relative to its controls. This correlates with significantly higher productivity and export performance. The results highlight the benefit of well-coordinated bilateral cooperation while also stressing the important role of local leadership in optimizing the impact of the program.

Deriving a Framework of Science and Technology Cooperation for Responding to Climate Change with Developed Countries: The Case of the ROK-UK Cooperation

Climate technology is one of the most crucial factors of mitigating greenhouse gas emission and attaining carbon neutrality. The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United Kingdom (UK) have strengthened science and technology cooperation while climate technology has not been actively discussed so far. This study aimed to suggest a preliminary framework of cooperation on climate technology by analyzing national strategies and official cooperation activities. The national strategies and plans in terms of climate technologies were analyzed to derive common technological interest of the ROK and the UK. Technologies in sectors of energy conversion, building, transportation, agriculture·livestock·fishery, hydrogen, carbon sink, and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) were identified. Network establishment and joint research and development (R&D) program were defined as main modalities of bilateral cooperation, according to a quantitative analysis on official announcement of the ROK on the cooperations. The methodology of this study is expected to be efficient and relevant as the official and public information·data had been utilized to identify common technological interests and to derive modality of cooperation. We hope this preliminary framework of cooperation on climate technology can contribute to facilitating and mainstreaming bilateral climate technology cooperation.

Current Status, Problems and Suggestions of Import and Export of Goods Trade between China and Chile

As one of the largest trading countries in the world, China continues to expand its trade relations with various countries, which has promoted the development of China-Chile trade in goods. Bilateral goods trade has consistently exhibited robust growth. This paper aims to delve into the current status of goods trade between China and Chile, analyze the existing challenges, and propose feasible recommendations. Through comprehensive data analysis, this research unveils the key features and challenges of their trade relationship, providing substantial support for enhancing cooperation.To begin with, this paper provides a detailed overview of the scale of China-Chile trade, emphasizing the mutually beneficial nature of their relationship. Simultaneously, it highlights the primary categories of Chinese exports to the Chilean market and Chile’s key import demands from China. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of the major issues confronting the current merchandise trade between the two nations is conducted, encompassing concerns such as trade imbalances, product structures, and investment levels. Finally, recommendations are put forth to address these challenges, primarily focusing on enhancing policy coordination to promote bilateral investments, improving product structures to augment the value of traded goods, and optimizing investment structures to deepen bilateral cooperation.

СУЧАСНИЙ СТАН, ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ТА ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ СПІВРОБІТНИЦТВА УКРАЇНИ З КРАЇНАМИ-УЧАСНИЦЯМИ АСЕАН

The purpose of the article is to analyze the main areas of foreign economic cooperation of Ukraine with ASEAN member countries and to determine the future prospects of their interaction. The article examines the trade and economic relations of Ukraine with ASEAN member countries during 2014-2022. An analysis of the volume of trade in goods between the parties is presented, which indicates a gradual increase in trade turnover from 2015 to 2021 and its further reduction in 2022 due to the start of a full-scale war The main categories of export and import of goods between Ukraine and ASEAN member countries in 2022 have been determined, which include grain crops, vegetable fats and oils, telecommunications equipment, metal products, etc. The geographical structure of trade operations was analyzed and the most popular export and import destinations for Ukraine, such as Malaysia and Vietnam, were determined. It is proven that, despite the gradual increase in trade volumes, the level of investment activity between the parties remains low, which is determined by a number of negative factors, including the war with Russia, corruption and the uncertainty of the legal environment in Ukraine. Positive factors that increase the investment attractiveness of Ukraine for the countries of Southeast Asia are considered, in particular, the geopolitical position and the presence of a highly qualified workforce. Based on the data of the National Bank of Ukraine, it was determined that the largest number of investments in Ukraine comes from Singapore, in particular, in enterprises in the fields of industry, trade and agriculture. The existence of significant potential for the development of trade and economic relations between Ukraine and ASEAN member countries has been proven. Ways of intensifying bilateral cooperation were proposed, such as the implementation of joint projects in the field of information technology and infrastructure, increasing the volume of Ukrainian exports and the creation of special economic zones. The need to sign trade agreements and expand business ties for the further development of cooperation between Ukraine and ASEAN member countries is highlighted.

Международно-правовая основа сотрудничества Азербайджана и ЕС в сфере транзита энергоносителей

The aim of the article is to analyze the legal basis of the relationship between the EU and Azerbaijan in the en-ergy sector, namely in the field of oil and gas transit. The relevance of the topic is due to the changing geopolit-ical situation in the world, especially in Europe, where EU member states have begun the process of diversify-ing natural gas import routes bypassing Russia. For many years, the EU, attaching special importance to coop-eration with the states of the Caspian region, has proposed the implementation of projects with the participation of the Caspian states, such as the Nabucco project and the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. Particular importance was attached to cooperation with Azerbaijan, and in recent years this cooperation has been further strength-ened, and the state has become an important energy partner of the EU. The subject of the study is bilateral agreements, memorandums and other international legal acts adopted by the parties since the restoration of Azerbaijan’s independence. The methodological basis of the study was the following theoretical methods of cognition: analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy, as well as special methods of cognition of legal phenomena and processes: comparative legal and formal legal. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the analysis of the international legal basis of energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU and the identifi-cation of its peculiarities. The author comes to the conclusion that all agreements pertaining to energy coopera-tion between the mentioned actors have a framework nature, necessitating elaboration and development in separate agreements. Additionally, it is advisable for the future to sign a document reflecting the current and common goals and issues of the EU and Azerbaijan. While existing agreements provide a framework for col-laboration, they require detailed elaboration in specific agreements to address evolving challenges. A prospec-tive document reflecting shared objectives and challenges between the EU and Azerbaijan would further en-hance bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.