EU China Research Articles

Removal efficiency of commonly prescribed antibiotics via tertiary wastewater treatment.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as "hot spots" of antibiotics release to the environment. Treatment operations at WWTPs may remove a significant proportion of antibiotics from influent wastewater; however, the effects of tertiary treatment processes on antibiotics removal are not well understood. The objective of this review is to summarize the current literature regarding antibiotics removal from common tertiary processes at full-scale municipal WWTPs and to reveal the research gaps and inform future research directions. Chlorination, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and sand filtration were reviewed due to their popularity of application in the USA. The majority of studies of antibiotics removal via tertiary wastewater treatment have been conducted in EU nations, the USA, Australia, and China. Chlorination significantly reduces antibiotics concentrations in wastewater effluents. In comparison, sand filtration and UV irradiation are less effective. However, a large discrepancy of removal efficiencies is apparent across different studies of these treatment processes. Increases in antibiotics concentration following tertiary treatment have also been observed. Possible reasons for the discrepancies, such as sorption to filtered particles, sampling strategies, specific operating parameters of wastewater treatment plants, and deconjugation, are discussed. It is concluded that the effects of tertiary treatment on antibiotic removal efficiency are still arguable, and caution must be taken when sampling wastewater in full-scale WWTPs for comparison of removal efficiencies of antibiotics.

The Emergence of Citizen Diplomacy in European Union–China Relations: Principles, Pillars, Pioneers, Paradoxes

ABSTRACTThis analysis considers the phenomenon of citizen diplomacy in European Union [EU]–China relations. It begins by engaging with the global discourse about “new” diplomacy and outlines how society-centric citizen diplomacy differs from state-centric public diplomacy. After revealing that European policy-makers are only reluctantly acknowledging the role of laymen in foreign policy-making vis-à-vis China, it shows that whilst citizen diplomacy may be a new concept in EU–China relations, it is actually not a new practice. The empirical part of the exegesis traces the experiential learning amongst 12 European citizen diplomats who have engaged China in the activity fields of disability; psychoanalysis; non-governmental organisation twinning; human rights; climate change mitigation; welfare of orphans, abandoned disabled children and young people; youth dialogue; public participation; animal welfare; and inclusive performing arts. The final part makes use of the newly developed hexagon of intercultural communication and collaboration competence to reveal how the European citizen diplomats have managed to navigate the sometimes-treacherous political-administrative landscape in mainland China. European citizen diplomats have made manifold and often surprising contributions to China’s multifaceted development.

EU–China Regional Policy Dialogue: Unpacking the Mechanisms of an Unlikely Policy Transfer

This article investigates EU–China dialogue on regional policy, a puzzling exercise in policy transfer because such policy is by its nature inward-oriented and the intricacies of regional development imply uncertainty about its effects in different contexts. The article sheds light on the reasons of both sides for engaging in this unlikely policy learning effort and identifies its actors and mechanisms. It also critically assesses this process, stressing its one-way nature and the active role of the EU as a ‘policy-sender’, in contrast to most policy transfer literature citing demands by the policy-recipient as the predominant reason to engage in such cooperation.

Security Cooperation in EU–China Relations: Towards Convergence?

Over the past decade, the EU and China have expanded their relations beyond a focus on economic and trade issues into the sphere of security. This is particularly evident when security is seen to encompass a variety of policy domains – from traditional, military security to nontraditional human security. However, this development has not followed an even or linear path: the record of EU–China security cooperation has been varied across different policy domains, with distinct temporal trajectories. This article addresses the question of why security cooperation between the two sides has advanced in certain policy domains while having faltered in others. Based on an expert survey of European and Chinese scholars, we explore both interest-driven and experience-driven explanations. Our analysis identifies a number of key events in the development of EU–China relations that have been critical in terms of initiating and enhancing cooperation in specific domains. Overall, we find that past experience with actual cooperation, rather than declared intentions, best explains the pattern of cooperation over time.

Research and development for Industry 4.0 – the position of the Czech Republic in cognitive computing and robotics

Abstract We have examined the recent development of the knowledge base in the fields of cognitive computing and robotics. The proxies for the evaluation of the R&D in these fields are the publication activity and the patents production spanning the years 1998 to 2016. A comparison with selected EU countries, USA, China, Japan and South Korea is presented. The publication activities grow much faster than the overall volume of world publications. In the number of publications per year in the field of cognitive computing China surpassed in 2004 USA and trails the EU-28 since. The robotics seems less in the focus of China’s R&D as the Chinese publications output just reached the USA level in the last two years of the examined interval. A common feature of the Asian countries is a significantly below the world average citation impact of the publications in both fields. The number of patent applications in cognitive computing and robotics has been growing in recent years. The patent activity in the China is growing very fast, the EU and USA are gradually losing their position and China dominated in the patent activity in cognitive computing and robotics in 2015. The Czech Republic exhibits a significantly above the EU average dynamics of the publication activity in both R&D fields. Though the robotics publications occupy a smaller fraction of the total national publications output, their citation impact at the roughly 150 percent level of the world average is on par with the publication output of EU-15 countries. The number of patent applications in cognitive computing and robotics with Czech invertors has been growing fast and their share in the total number of patent applications with Czech inventors is above the EU average. However, these applications are very often owned by foreign companies, in particular from the USA. Our study indicates that the Czech Republic has, in the world context, a robust and dynamic R&D capable to address the challenges associated with the implementation of Industry 4.0 and advanced information processing.

Book Review: Deepening The EU–China Partnership in an Unstable World: Bridging Institutional and Ideational Differences, edited by Mario Telò, Ding Chun & Zhang Xiaotong. (Abingdon/Oxon;

Book Review: Deepening The EU–China Partnership in an Unstable World: Bridging Institutional and Ideational Differences, edited by Mario Telò, Ding Chun & Zhang Xiaotong. (Abingdon/Oxon;

The Mathematical Dimension of the One Belt One Road Megaproject

The current state of the flow of goods is analyzed, and its growth in implementing China’s new One Belt One Road geoeconomic strategy, targeted at the revival of the Silk Road in the 21st century, is forecast. To this end, regression equations are used, describing exports and imports in China–EU and Russia–China mutual trade, as well as the gravity equation of J. Tinbergen, who in the early 1930s was the first to apply mathematical methods to macroeconomic problems. On the basis of the equations sought, models of the long-term forecasting of the dynamics in China–EU and Russia–EU mutual trade and the economic development of these countries have been constructed. It is shown that the best strategy for Russia is to restore and intensify trade and economic relations with the European Union under the activation of trade and economic cooperation with China and other APEC countries.

Coherence, strategy and legitimacy – variations of a theme in the case of EU–China relations

ABSTRACTThe EU is asked to become an international actor guided by grand vision, strategy and pragmatism, in order to become more effective and legitimate. At the same time, the EU is often told to base its actions on coherence in order to achieve greater effectiveness, credibility and legitimacy. This article argues the EU currently foresees two modes of governance in EU external action: a “coherence mode” and a “strategy mode”. These modes can complement each other, or collide. While each of the modes of governance was meant to enhance legitimacy in the EU’s external action, the example of China shows the EU’s difficulties with applying these modes and questions their utility in enhancing the EU’s legitimacy.

EU-China Innovation Relations from Zero-Sum to Global Networks

It is in the long-term interests of both the EU and China to encourage innovation collaboration. Transnational innovation networks or ecosystems can boost innovation outcomes for both sides. European and Chinese leaders should encourage an open mindset among policymakers, businesses, researchers and the public at large. This requires moving beyond thinking about innovation as a national or regional project and seeing it as a way to enrich the engagement of European and Chinese researchers and enterprises in global networks. Targets, such as those for local content, which encourage nationalist or protectionist mindsets should be avoided. The EU and China are already cooperating in science, technology and innovation and there is much potential to cooperate further in basic research; food and agriculture; manufacturing and industrial technology, such as high-speed railways and aircraft; sustainable urbanization, such as water and health; and climate change mitigation measures, such as renewable energy and green finance. To boost innovation cooperation further, the governments of EU member states and China should facilitate the movement of researchers, through flexible and easy-to-navigate visa regimes, student exchanges, and by encouraging researchers to collaborate and to gain global experience. They should also facilitate the cross-border registration of patents by their nationals, so that the EU and China can become effectively the world’s largest single market for innovation. Growing industrial competition complicates potential close innovation relations. The encouragement of innovation networks needs to be balanced by risk management measures to maintain incentives for individual firms and institutions to invest in innovation, and by the further development and strengthening of intellectual property rights protection. Evaluating relative innovation capacity has become more complex with the rise of China, and shifts to a more diffuse and multipolar world. But developed economies are still at the forefront in innovation, and Europeans should have confidence in the strengths that mature research institutions and supportive regulatory frameworks can bring to global innovation. Innovative Chinese companies will also create new opportunities for Europe.

Electricity regulation in the Chinese national emissions trading scheme (ETS): lessons for carbon leakage and linkage with the EU ETS

ABSTRACTCarbon leakage is central to the discussion on how to mitigate climate change. The current carbon leakage literature focuses largely on industrial production, and less attention has been given to carbon leakage from the electricity sector (the largest source of carbon emissions in China). Moreover, very few studies have examined in detail electricity regulation in the Chinese national emissions trading system (which leads, for example, to double counting) or addressed its implications for potential linkage between the EU and Chinese emissions trading systems (ETSs). This article seeks to fill this gap by analysing the problem of ‘carbon leakage’ from the electricity sector under the China ETS. Specifically, a Law & Economics approach is applied to scrutinize legal documents on electricity/carbon regulation and examine the economic incentive structures of stakeholders in the inter-/intra-regional electricity markets. Two forms of ‘electricity carbon leakage’ are identified and further supported by legal evidence and practical cases. Moreover, the article assesses the environmental and economic implications for the EU of potential linkage between the world’s two largest ETSs. In response, policy suggestions are proposed to address electricity carbon leakage, differentiating leakage according to its sources.Key policy insightsElectricity carbon leakage in China remains a serious issue that has yet to receive sufficient attention.Such leakage arises from the current electricity/carbon regulatory framework in China and jeopardizes mitigation efforts.With the US retreat on climate efforts, evidence suggests that EU officials are looking to China and expect an expanded carbon market to reinforce EU global climate leadership.Given that the Chinese ETS will be twice the size of the EU ETS, a small amount of carbon leakage in China could have significant repercussions. Electricity carbon leakage should thus be considered in any future EU–China linking negotiations.

Seroepidemiological Studies of Arboviruses in Africa.

The literature on sero-epidemiological studies of flaviviral infections in the African continent is quite scarce. Much of the viral epidemiology studies have been focussing on diseases such as HIV/AIDS because of their sheer magnitude and impact on the lives of people in the various affected countries. Increasingly disease outbreaks caused by arboviruses such as the recent cases of chikungunya virus, dengue virus and yellow fever virus have prompted renewed interest in studying these viruses. International agencies from the US, several EU nations and China are starting to build collaborations to build capacity in many African countries together with established institutions to conduct these studies. The Tofo Advanced Study Week (TASW) was established to bring the best scientists from the world to the tiny seaside town of Praia do Tofo to rub shoulders with African virologists and discuss cutting-edge science and listen to the work of researchers in the field. In 2015 the 1st TASW focussed on Ebola virus. The collections of abstracts from participants at the 2nd TASW which focused on Dengue and Zika virus as well as presentations on other arboviruses are collated in this chapter.

The politics of EU–China economic relations: an uneasy partnership; China, the European Union, and the international politics of global governance

The politics of EU–China economic relations: an uneasy partnership; China, the European Union, and the international politics of global governance

Studies of the constructed rail seat supports

In recent decades, the use of constructed sleepers on the world's railways has been increasing: the United States, the EU countries, Japan and China. Such sleepers, having positive performance qualities of wooden sleepers (good elasticity and dielectric properties, manufacturability during laying and during repair work), do not have negative qualities of wood. The article reviews the US and EU standards for testing sleepers made of constructed materials. The classification of such sleepers is given. Examples of testing of such sleepers by specialists of JSC “VNIIZhT” for the period from 1999 to 2016 are given, including sleepers from modified wood, wooden sleepers with elastomeric coating, composite sleepers from recycled high-density polyethylene with glass-filled polymer. Features of the Russian requirements to the constructed sleepers are considered. Composite rail seat supports are promising in application. Possessing the advantages of wooden sleepers (bars), they have higher wear resistance, lower life cycle costs (recyclable), are more homogeneous and do not rot. Damping properties of composite sleepers contribute to solving the problem of reducing noise and vibration from rolling stock. In addition, their use is one of the ways to reduce the negative impact of rail transport on the environment. With a feasibility study, such sleepers will successfully replace other types of rail seat supports. Spheres of rational application of composite rail seat supports are heaving sections of the railway track, areas with weak soils, turnouts, tracks on bridges, railway tunnels, and underground tracks. Taking into account the tendency to expand the polygon for laying composite sleepers, including railway tracks, metro routes and land transport in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and other CIS countries, it is advisable to develop a single interstate standard containing safety requirements and test methods for constructed rail seat supports.

Exploring the Characteristics of CO2 Emissions Embodied in International Trade and the Fair Share of Responsibility

This paper explores the characteristics of embodied CO2 emissions from the perspective of carbon inflows, carbon outflows, and the net effects, at both an aggregate and bilateral scale. We identify several important relationships in bilateral carbon flows, including China–EU, China–USA, Russia–EU, and China–Japan, which make China and Russia the largest carbon exporters and the EU and the USA the largest carbon importers. A further investigation of the sectors contributing to carbon flows shows that exports from the mineral, chemicals, metals, oil, transport, and other manufacturing sectors are the main cause of carbon outflows, while the intermediate inputs of the electricity and transport sectors are the primary cause of carbon outflows due to export production. Moreover, we propose an intensity-based shared responsibility strategy and find that China should take the most responsibility because it is responsible for nearly 32% of all embodied emissions, due to its less efficient and high carbon-intensive technologies. The USA and the EU follow China, with shares of 13.2% and 11.3%, respectively, owing to their heavy consumption. As a result, China and the USA contribute 31.8% and 20.6%, respectively, of the total global emissions, outweighing the aggregated contribution from all other countries/regions.

How to Strengthen EU-China Cooperation Based on "the Belt and Road"?

La iniciativa Belt and Road presentada por el Presidente Chino Xi Jinping en 2013 consiste en un plan de desarrollo que objetiva la promoción, la cooperación y el reforzamiento de las conexiones persona-a-persona entre Asia, África y Europa. China ya ha firmado acuerdos de cooperación con más de 40 países pertenecientes a la región de la Belt and Road y realizo la capacitación de la cooperación internacional con más de 30 países. La implementación de la iniciativa tiene un profundo impacto en las relaciones Sino-europeas, tratándose de un tópico que necesita de un mayor análisis. La iniciativa Belt and Road puede representar una gran oportunidad para promover las relaciones China-UE basadas en la cooperación win-win y direccionadas al favorecimiento del respeto mutuo, la compresión y el intercambio humano. El objetivo principal del presente artículo es el estudio de la influencia del plan Belt and Road en la cooperación China-UE, a través de la investigación de algunas medidas ya tomadas y los desafíos colocados a la China y a la UE para fortalecer sus relaciones.

The Belt and Road Initiative and the transit countries: an economic assessment of land transport corridors

ABSTRACT In the light of the implications of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for Greater Eurasia and, in particular, Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, this paper assesses the prospects of seven actual and potential trans-Eurasian overland transport corridors. Based on the analysis of trade flows, railway tariffs, existing restrictions and individual routes’ potential efficiency, the most promising overland China–EU and China–EAEU transport corridors and their prospective goods nomenclatures are identified. China–EAEU–EU transit is interpreted as the ‘story of the container’. The principal interests of EAEU countries in developing BRI transport corridors are identified, as are the opportunities that involvement in China’s BRI affords for the promotion of a substantial transit business and, most importantly, better regional and interregional connectivity within both the EAEU and Greater Eurasia.

Climate, energy and trade in EU–China relations: synergy or conflict?

This article aims at assessing the state of Sino–European energy relations in light of the common challenges they face in the areas of energy security and sustainability, while providing some insight on whether international trade rules are well-equipped to encourage and facilitate cooperation, on the one hand, and defuse potential conflicts, on the other, between China and the EU. Section 1 introduces the topic. Section 2 gives an account of the climate and energy profiles of both China and the EU with a view to highlighting their shared interests in the field and the potential for synergies in the areas of energy security and energy sustainability. Section 3 illustrates how energy cooperation between China and the EU has evolved over the years and identifies its main strengths and weaknesses. Section 4 discusses the role that international trade rules can play in fostering China–EU energy cooperation and provides a case study on the how World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on export restrictions could enhance energy security. This is followed by some conclusions on the potential of the WTO system to advance Sino–EU energy relations and, more generally, global energy governance.

Reforms and collaborations in Europe–China doctoral education

ABSTRACTThis special issue focuses on the reforms and collaborations in Europe–China doctoral education. The articles in this special issue provide an insightful picture of the recent reforms in doctoral education in China and EU countries. Next to the structural reforms in Europe and China, the special issue papers have also specifically focused on EU–China cooperation in doctoral education, such as the current cooperation models, quality assurance in joint programmes and student experiences. In additions to an introduction of seven papers included in the special issue, the introduction provides necessary background information concerning Europe–China doctoral education as well as a reflection on the general issues, challenges and their implications.

Does Europe Matter? The Role of Europe in Chinese Narratives of ‘One Belt One Road’ and ‘New Type of Great Power Relations’

AbstractThe rise of China as a global power has significantly reshaped its global ambition. Under the leadership of Chinese president Xi Jinping, China has proposed a series of diplomatic initiatives – most notably ‘new type of great power relations’ and ‘one belt one road’ – in order to shift the international order in its favour. Does Europe matter in China's major initiatives under the leadership of Xi Jinping? How does Europe (and the EU) fit into China's strategic narratives? This article aims to address these questions by analyzing Chinese scholarly writings and conducting interviews in China. It also explores the evolution process of China's strategic narratives with a focus on the gradual appearances of Europe. This article argues that the EU/Europe is a second order concern for China, and Europe only plays a marginalized role in China's policy discussion. Appreciation of the internal dynamics of China is essential for Europe to develop a more accurate understanding of EU–China relations.

USA’ role and place in international trade

Article is dedicated to the role and place of USA in international trade. The author pays great attention to the transformation of the international trade leaders since 2004, when China got the entrance to the TOP-3 of merchandise trade leaders. At the same time the author described the structure of USA’ foreign trade by commodities and services. He underlined the key feature of USA’ trade partners - EU countries, Canada, Japan (developed economies) and China, Mexico (developing economies). The author pays great attention to the questions of setting and developing of “mega” integrations, such as TTP and TTIP.