International Economic Development Research Articles

Country Image in COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of China.

Country image has a profound influence on international relations and economic development. In the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, countries and their people display different reactions, resulting in diverse perceived images among foreign public. Therefore, in this article, we take China as a specific and typical case and investigate its image with aspect-based sentiment analysis on a large-scale Twitter dataset. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore country image in such a fine-grained way. To perform the analysis, we first build a manually-labeled Twitter dataset with aspect-level sentiment annotations. Afterward, we conduct the aspect-based sentiment analysis with BERT to explore the image of China. We discover an overall sentiment change from non-negative to negative in the general public, and explain it with the increasing mentions of negative ideology-related aspects and decreasing mentions of non-negative fact-based aspects. Further investigations into different groups of Twitter users, including U.S. Congress members, English media, and social bots, reveal different patterns in their attitudes toward China. This article provides a deeper understanding of the changing image of China in COVID-19 pandemic. Our research also demonstrates how aspect-based sentiment analysis can be applied in social science researches to deliver valuable insights.

The Consequences of the Military Conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Its Impact on International Investment Attractiveness, Economic and Demographic Development in Ukraine

The conflict in the Eastern part of Ukraine and the growing geopolitical tensions have had a significant impact on the economy and society of the country. As a result, it deepened the recession and diverged from the planned development indicators. In particular, this concerns international reserves of the National Bank of Ukraine and the country's budget deficit. Multilateral economic changes, exacerbated by the impact of hostilities in the Eastern part of the country have transformed the structure of socio-demographic processes in Ukraine. Armed confrontation causes a continuous deterioration of demographic and economic indicators of development not only of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but also has an impact on the whole country. This confrontation is also accompanied by the loss (destruction, theft, etc.) of public assets. The estimated cost of destroyed components of industrial, communal, social, transport, energy and other infrastructure are indicative due to the inability to inspect objects located within the territory controlled by terrorist groups. The conflict has also affected the investment attractiveness of the country, which accelerates the creation of a depressed nature of country’s development. Therefore, in the context of hostility in the Eastern Ukraine, it is important to understand and study its destabilizing impact, not only on domestic economic and demographic indicators, but also on the volume of foreign investment, which will allow us to understand the level of country’s involvement in the global investment space and the real impact of military action on the population and on international economic affairs of Ukraine. As a result of this scientific research, the population and GDP forecast have been conducted. It is worth noting that the forecast itself based on regression mathematical modelling which includes past data and can be accurate if current conditions are stable in the future.

Accessing racial privilege through property: Geographies of racial capitalism

This paper examines racial capitalism through the lens of housing and urban development. We compare two disparate places Kabul, Afghanistan and Boulder, Colorado in order to illustrate the commonalities of property rights regimes, and the (ill)logics of economic development that reinforce racial-economic privilege. By exploring housing specifically, this paper explicates the ways in which availability, affordability, and desirability are intertwined with racialized conceptualizations of space. Both Kabul and Boulder are dominated by legacies and contemporary practices of white privilege and economic inequality based on neoliberal racial capitalism. Housing in Kabul has been a key part of international and national economic development programs, while the influx of international funds and workers included a form of gentrification that significantly marginalized local-Afghans from several spaces in the capital city. In Boulder, property values have increased exponentially in recent decades due to the growth of information technology jobs and influx of wealth. The racial and economic marginalization of nonwhite and low-income persons in Boulder remains consistent within housing and work sectors. The racialization of Afghans by international development workers in Kabul, and the racialization of poverty and marginalization of nonwhite minorities in Boulder explicate the tensions and conflicts between property rights regimes and the “right” to be housed. This paper examines the ways in which discursive representations of wealth and poverty become geopolitical and geo-economic tools of racialized socioeconomic ostracism. Analyzing these disparate places through the lens of racial capitalism explicates the common forms of reductionism used to reinforce market privilege over the lives and livelihoods of bodies racialized as “other”. While the specific histories of domination differ by location, the effects of racial capitalism are visible in each, particularly through relations of private property.

Water quality index using fuzzy logic Utcubamba River, Peru

Water is a fundamental nutrient in the life of any living being. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate its quality, because it is an issue of increasing concern countries around the world for reasons such as the health of the population, regional, national and international economic development, and the environmental quality of the ecosystems. One tool that has been used to know the state of the water is the water quality indexes (WQI). The objective of this research was to develop a WQI based on fuzzy logic, which allows for the estimation of water quality in the Utcubamba River. The methodology used was proposed by Icaga in 2007. To evaluate the proposed WQI called "Diffuse Water Quality Index" (DWQI), sixteen points from the sampling conducted by the Research Institute for Sustainable Development during October 2014 on the Utcubamba River and its tributaries were used. To validate the index, it was necessary to estimate the correlation coefficient R2 between the results obtained and those of the NSF WQI wáter quality index reported by the Water Research Center. This new index presented results and reasonable correlation, R2 = 0.81. It is concluded that DWQI can be used as a tool for decision making in the water management of the Utcubamba River.

COVID-19 and Tuberculosis.

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can be characterized as a pandemic based on the alarming levels of spread and severity and on the alarming levels of inaction. COVID-19 has received worldwide attention as emergency, endangering international public health and economic development. There is a growing body of literatures regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as well as COVID-19. This review will focus on the latest advance of epidemiology, pathogenesis, and clinical characteristics about COVID-19. Meanwhile, tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading representative respiratory tract communicable disease threatening public health. There are limited data on the risk of severe disease or outcomes in patients with concurrence of TB and COVID-19. Nevertheless, co-infection of some virus would aggravate TB, such as measles. And tuberculosis and influenza co-infection compared with tuberculosis single infection was associated with increased risk of death in individuals. This review will also introduce the characteristics about the concurrence of TB and emerging infectious diseases to provide a hint to manage current epidemic.

Modern Trends of Customs Administrations Formation: Best European Practices and a Unified Structure

Abstract The ambiguous trends in international trade in 2019 and the forecast for 2020 enhance the functional role of the customs bodies in every country. That is because the customs system largely determines the ease of conducting international trade, the security of international supply chains and economic development of the countries. Though many developed countries have been able to form progressive customs systems, there are still countries that are in the process of reforming customs administrations and require a unified conceptual approach to build their customs systems. Given this fact the goal of our study is to analyze current trends in the development of the international customs systems and on the basis of it to identify the main and support functions of customs administration. Based on the principle of the best practices, the countries with the best customs administrations according to WTO data, i.e. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Poland were selected for analysis. We analyzed the positions of these countries in the leading international rankings, the key quantitative indicators of their customs activity and the peculiarities of the organizational construction of the customs authorities by functional principle. As the result, based on the use of systematic, dynamic and topologically substantive approaches and results of research, we developed a unified conceptual structure of the customs administration. In particular, the main functions (i.e. control, security and fiscal) and support functions (i.e. regulatory, administration, communication, service, information and statistical subsystems, resource support subsystem and international cooperation) were proposed. The proposed structure is intended to be used by representatives of the customs authorities in different countries throughout the world.

Diversity, Tourism, and Economic Development: A Global Perspective

International tourism enhances understanding and interaction between nations and people, or can generate conflicts due to cultural misunderstandings. In this globalized world, diversity on one side plays a vital and essential role in international tourism and economic development but on the other side ethnic, cultural, and religious polarization resulting in conflicts, difficulties that may frighten away tourists and lead to vulnerability of the tourism sector in very heterogeneous countries. This study investigates whether existing ethnic and religious diversity affects the international tourism and economic development. By using the dataset of 187 countries and panel data technique, this study indicates that diversity, either ethnic or religious or both, has a significant negative impact on international tourism and economic development. This study suggests that ethnic and religious diversity is an inherent part of most societies in a globalized world so in order to minimize its negative consequences there is emergent need to provide equal opportunity to all groups and to encourage cohesive culture. A cohesive and peaceful society can enhance tourism.

International Law, Western States, Third World States, and the Principles of Right to Economic Self-Determination

In practice, international law appears to have worked against those principles that accord the people of a State the right to economic self-determination, such as the principle of free choice in economic development. This paper argues that the exercise of the right to economic self- determination (particularly economic development freedom or free economic development) has been hampered, and has not been freely pursued in practice by developing countries, due to hegemonic control, economic exploitation and domination by the ‘powers that be’ within the international system. This research examines those principles of international law that accord the peoples of a State the right to free economic development, both in theory and practice; it also provides insights into legal policy implications and the prospects of international law in this area. This paper utilises the well-being and liberal-economic legal theoretical approaches, and interdisciplinary and critical-analytical perspectives, within the framework of international economic law and development.

EVALUATION OF THE RULE OF LAW AS A PRE-REQISITE TO THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA

Africa faces myriads of challenges one of which is the need for development; as a result, development is a critical issue in Africa. The apparent disparity and inequity of the global economic system in the aspect of international economic development, conspicuous particularly on the Africa continent has dominated academic discourses since the era of the decolonization of the undeveloped countries. One of the direct consequences of this was the evolution of right-based approach to development agenda which have implications for democracy and the rule of law; two elements that have suffered serious setbacks in almost all African countries. This paper examines the extent to which the effective enforcement of the rule of law in African countries can aid the human rights based approach to development in order to deliver meaningful improvements to the African development crisis. It starts by highlighting the evolution of the rights based approach to development agenda with a view to clarifying the meanings of the “right to development”. It further examines the import of the doctrine of rule of law, its relationship to the rights-based approach to development agenda and the theoretical underpinnings of both concepts. The paper continues to assess the position of the rule of law in African countries now, and its implications for the realization of the Right to Development (RTD), domestically (in each African country), regionally (and possibly sub-regionally).It is the argument of this paper that although, the African human rights-system, particularly the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights was the first enforceable document to contain the right to development, thereby making the African continent to be the first in conceiving it, yet one of the major reasons why development has eluded African over a considerable period of time until now is abysmal failure of the Rule of Law.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION OF UKRAINE WITH POLAND: ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

The article is devoted to methodological and practical aspects of assessment and formation of strategic directions for the international economic cooperation development between Ukraine and Poland, taking into account the parameters of national security. The paper clarifies the substantive basis of international economic cooperation. The state of international economic cooperation development is analyzed according to quantitative and qualitative indicators taking into consideration such strategic directions as: export-import operations; exchange of labor resources; investment cooperation; assessment of the level of national security of Ukraine's foreign economic relations with Poland. In particular, the assessment of the state of relations on the exchange of labor resources has been carried out in relation to the migration volumes, comparative assessment of incomes and from the standpoint of contribution to the country's economy. Emphasis is placed on the need to strengthen the strategic guidelines for investment cooperation. The main problems in this area of ​​production have been outlined. The dynamics of investment cooperation has been characterized. In particular, it was established that the largest volume of direct investment in Ukraine has been observed in 2010, the positive dynamics has been manifested since 2016. Examples of strategic cooperation in the investment sphere have been given. The security indicators of export-import operations have been assessed. It was established that the positive dynamics has been observed from 2018. It was stated that there were certain risks, the main of which was the irrational structure of barter transactions.

Global energy security and international economic development

Energy security is at the top of the international political and economic agenda due to its importance for the economic and social development of individual countries, for relations between them, for the global economy and the environment. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine an area where countries are more interdependent than at the confluence of energy, environment, and economic development. Energy security has implications for domestic and foreign policy. This means the interdependence between producer and consumer, where mutual vulnerability and a win-win opportunity are short-term and long-term. The work systematizes the types of energy with the goal of sustainable development: the balance of economic, social, and environmental components, through a model of a circular economy, which allows achieving energy security. The first step is switching from carbon-based energy (oil, gas, coal) to clean energy (solar, wind, hydropower, etc.). However, it is also important to act on the principle of energy efficiency, which is to measure the difference between the actually used energy and the total energy consumed (often higher due to losses). The principle of the circular economy of achieving the most efficient use of resources is the most essential for the development of innovative solutions aimed at the transition to clean energy. Having studied the various approaches by comparison and analogy, we can conclude that the Concept of the circular economy offers effective business models to ensure environmentally friendly resource use, contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals of society. The article used historical and statistical methods, as well as a system approach to the study of economic phenomena, which helped to identify the relationship between all elements and their roles in the general functioning of the circular economy. Using the method of comparison and scientific modeling, the role of the circular economy in resource-saving, minimizing waste and reducing pressure on the environment is revealed, while achieving significant economic and social results in energy security.

International diversification and economic development in a regional context: a dynamic capabilities approach

International diversification and economic development in a regional context: a dynamic capabilities approach

Северо-Восточная Азия в контексте глобальных интересов и политики Китая в “новую эпоху”

The article analyzes the Chinese politics and bilateral relations with Northeast Asian countries in the second decade of the 21st century through the prism of theoretical innovations proposed by the PRC leadership in the field of international diplomacy, economic development and global governance as well as its initiatives in the sphere of “cooperative interaction” and ensuring regional security. The author shows that China’s acquisition of the global power status and the active promotion of its own agenda in international affairs had a weak effect on its position in NEA and relations with countries of the region, including Russia. Although Beijing incorporates all the states of the region into its “global partnership network”, it is not some theoretical models and idealistic concepts, but specific economic interests, political calculations, cultural factors and historical baggage that play a key role in China’s relations with Japan, North and South Korea, Mongolia or Russia. Chinese diplomacy takes into account the extremely complicated balance of power and configuration of relations in the region, and therefore, does not make much effort to promote new formats of integration and security building in the region, considering it sufficient to demonstrate good intentions of the PRC and its behavior as a “responsible state”. The north-eastern part of Eurasia, including the Pacific part of Russia, is modestly represented in Xi Jinping’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative, it is not the object of its financial expansion, and therefore, the nature and scale of China’s economic interaction with NEA countries have not changed much over the past decade.

International diversification and economic development in a regional context: a dynamic capabilities approach

This exploratory study proposes a theoretical framework grounded on the dynamic capabilities approach to facilitate understanding of the role of managerial resources and dynamic capabilities in international diversification (ID) initiatives in a changing business environment in the context of Western Australia (WA). Data were gathered through interviews with representatives of this state's chambers of commerce, government agencies and town halls. While the identified ID strategies will not replace the state's ubiquitous mining industry, these were nevertheless perceived as significant contributors to its future economic performance. The strategies primarily emphasised the potential and value of further developing tourism, international education, innovative and technological resources, and premium agricultural products. The proposed framework provides an interpretative and guiding tool, which highlights the strategic importance of a region's alternative resources as contributors to its diversification, economic development, and competitive advantage. In addition, the study will discuss various implications from the findings and identify future research strands.

Development of the Tourism Industry as the Motor of Economic Growth in Indonesia

The tourism sector is one of the activities that have a strategic role in supporting international economic development in the era of globalization influencing the development of the tourism industry for the development of areas around tourist objects so that they can act as a leading industry, sectors that can improve the economy. The existence of the tourism sector will create jobs that will increase the income of people in tourist areas. When linked to economic development with balanced growth, tourism can be expected to play a decisive role and be a catalyst for developing its development sector. Meanwhile, the economic impact of tourism development can be positive or negative. The positive effects are (1) creating jobs, (2) increasing opportunities, (3) increasing community income in the surrounding tourist areas. Meanwhile, the environment's negative impact is the natural environment, the built environment, and culture.

Development of the Tourism Industry as the Motor of Economic Growth in Indonesia

The tourism sector is one of the activities that have a strategic role in supporting international economic development in the era of globalization influencing the development of the tourism industry for the development of areas around tourist objects so that they can act as a leading industry, sectors that can improve the economy. The existence of the tourism sector will create jobs that will increase the income of people in tourist areas. When linked to economic development with balanced growth, tourism can be expected to play a decisive role and be a catalyst for developing its development sector. Meanwhile, the economic impact of tourism development can be positive or negative. The positive effects are (1) creating jobs, (2) increasing opportunities, (3) increasing community income in the surrounding tourist areas. Meanwhile, the environment's negative impact is the natural environment, the built environment, and culture.

Analysis of Economic Development of Human Capital

The concept of “human development†was born in a period characterized by an important number of events that have caused important changes of the geopolitical factors as well as essential mutations at economic and social level. This period is known as the “post-war era†. In this era, the world economy has registered considerable progress. The international cooperation and economic development have permitted the significant increase of merchandise and services world-wide commerce as well as the increase of foreign investments. Both the global production structure and the labor force structure have changed. Unfortunately, this global economic development is doubled by the persistence of economic and social differences and by the occurrence of set-backs. In the present paper it is presented the Romanian position towards the human development as well as the development perspectives of this position in the context of Romania’s integration in the European Union.

Security for Enhancing Peace and Stability in Changing Context of Nepal

The world is facing new security challenges in 21st century that has forced global and national security actors to think differently. Unconventional security issues such as resource scarcity, climate change effects, livelihood insecurity, environmental insecurity, food and water insecurity, health insecurity, natural calamities and disasters, pandemic diseases, etc. are now integral part of security going beyond conventional security issue of protecting sovereignty and territory of the state. Further, Nepal has also specific geopolitical and geo-strategic issues and challenges emerged from the Sino-Indian dynamics. Global economic and strategic power is shifting from US to China and therefore China will be most influential in the world order in coming few decades. Similarly, India is also rapidly expanding its influence in global and regional sphere. Hence, small countries like Nepal will have both negative and potentially positive efforts (economically, politically, strategically) to deal in the changing global order (protecting national interests in a situation of aggressive approaches of old and emerging powers) in the context of China-India revelry. As Nepal is having rapid change in political and strategic sphere advancement of security sector is eminent. However, dealing with new security challenges requires enabling environment (favourable legal-regulatory provisions, supportive institutional arrangement, required resources, investing in capacity development especially in education and research, developing sound intelligence and integrating security policy with international relations, economic development and social services). Hence, it is essential to expand security discourse and engage citizen to develop ownership, strengthen the National Security Council, create enabling environment (developing relevant policy and strategies, promulgation of laws and development of rules and procedures, creating responsive institutional mechanisms, developing capabilities, making required resources available, parliamentary oversight and monitoring provisions, invest in security research and education) to address emerging new security challenges of the 21st century.

Cross-Border E-Commerce Talents Cultivating of E-Commerce Specialty under the Background of Hainan Free Trade Area

Under the background of "Internet + foreign trade", cross-border e-commerce has become an important new trade format to promote foreign trade transformation and economic restructuring, and has become a new growth point of China's foreign trade. The successive establishment of FTAs is an important measure to promote international economic development, bringing new development opportunities to cross-border e-commerce. At the same time, the shortage of cross-border e-commerce talents has become a bottleneck hindering the development of cross-border e-commerce. This paper discusses the training of cross-border e-commerce talents based on e-commerce specialty, investigates and analyses the current situation and talent demand of cross-border e-commerce industry in Hainan from the perspective of enterprise demand, and studies the talent training mode suitable for the development of cross-border e-commerce in Hainan.

Analysis on the Trend of International Economy and Trade Development under Cross-Cultural Exchanges

Under the influence of “Belt and Road”, the development of international economy and trading has improved drastically, which provided many help and support for domestic macroeconomic development under the new economic normal. Cross-cultural communication is a kind of customer service for different cultures. At this stage, under the cross-cultural exchange, the advantages of domestic and international economic and trade activities are constantly emerging. Plus, under the influence of the diplomatic thinking of seeking common ground while reserving differences, cross-cultural exchanges have greatly promoted the development of international economic trade. This paper will forecast and analyze the development trend of international economic trade under the cross-cultural exchange in the new era as well as put forward reasonable suggestions on how to improve international economic and trade development.