International System Research Articles

Examining China and Japan’s Narratives as Diplomatic Tools: Competitive Nature and International Influence

ABSTRACT In the new millennium, China and Japan have become eager to use narratives and discourses as diplomatic tools to manage external relations and enhance their international profiles. Although these trends have prompted research into the discourses and narratives of China and Japan, previous studies have not fully explored the competitive characteristics of the two states’ ideational visions. This article aims to unravel the nature and features of ideational competition between China and Japan by focusing on representative narratives in their diplomatic strategies. It argues that China has employed narratives as diplomatic tools for practical utility through integration with material capabilities, whereas Japan has disseminated narratives as part of its comprehensive external engagements, given its declining material capabilities. The narratives of China and Japan hold significant importance in the international system. Their effective use of narratives has a crucial impact on the western-dominated international discourse system, offering new perspectives to uphold an international order and global governance.

The Effect of the Fed Interest Rate Hikes on the Financial Crisis Evidence from Emerging Market Economices

The purpose of this paper is to systematically study the economic consequences of this policy adjustment by analysing in depth the five interest rate hike actions of the Federal Reserve and their chain reactions in emerging market economies, applying economic principles and methods. In particular, the central question of concern is whether the Fed's interest rate hiking policy constitutes an important trigger of the financial crisis in emerging markets. In order to shed light on this complex phenomenon in a comprehensive manner, this paper not only analyses in depth the macroeconomic logic behind the Fed's interest rate hike, but also explores its transmission mechanism in emerging market economies, as well as the economic vulnerability of these countries in the face of external shocks. The results of the study show that the collapse of emerging countries as a result of the Fed's interest rate hikes seems to be inevitable, but we can draw insights from it: actively promoting the reform of the international monetary system and supporting the inclusion of more types of currencies in the international trade and investment settlement system has become a common choice, including for some Western countries, as well as the need to continue to optimise the economic structure of the domestic economy and to strengthen the ability to manage and control the comprehensive risks.

China-Central and Eastern Europe Cooperation in a Divided World: Narratives and Scenarios

ABSTRACT China launched the 16 + 1 initiative 10 years ago to facilitate interaction and cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The paper argues that the geopolitical landscape has dramatically changed since 2012 when the initiative was announced, and this seriously affects the possibilities for further deepening of the relations between the CEE countries and China. Nowadays, the world is deeply divided, with growing competition for influence and exacerbating relations not only between Russia and the West but also between China and the Western countries. The rising geopolitical confrontation between the major powers in the international system (in the current situation with the war in Ukraine) strongly affects China’s relations with the CEE countries. Applying the instruments of the geopolitical analysis, the paper will seek to explore the impact of the changing international environment on China’s engagement in Central and Eastern Europe and draw conclusions about the prospects of China–CEE cooperation.

Brics Ascendancy: Challenging Western Hegemony in a Globalized World

The global financial milieu has long been characterized by the pre-eminence of the United States dollar as the world's principal reserve currency. Nevertheless, emerging trends indicate the prospect of a paradigmatic shift wherein the dollar's status as a reserve currency may diminish. This study undertakes an in-depth analysis of the factors contributing to this potential transition, with particular emphasis on the ascent of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and their capability to establish a novel financial framework. Drawing upon insights from eminent scholars affiliated with prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Cambridge, Princeton, Chicago, Yale, and Oxford, this research assesses the evolving dynamics of global finance. By scrutinizing historical hegemonic patterns dating back to the 17th century, this investigation offers a comprehensive perspective on the ascendance and decline of dominant currencies and their ramifications on the international monetary system. Through meticulous examination of economic indicators, geopolitical transformations, and institutional advancements, this paper elucidates potential avenues through which the BRICS nations could challenge the hegemony of the U.S. dollar. Furthermore, it explores the feasibility of instituting alternative financial mechanisms to facilitate transactions and investments among BRICS countries and beyond, thereby mitigating dependence on the dollar-centric financial framework. This research, therefore, has culminated in the conclusion that the hegemonic status of the U.S. dollar is poised to diminish before the year 2030.

The Proliferation of Special Regimes and the Unity of the International Legal System

AbstractInternational law is becoming increasingly more specialized and diversified. In response to these developments, international lawyers now widely refer to international investment law, European human rights law and many other branches as ‘special regimes’. Scholars in the field see the proliferation of special regimes as a threat to the unity of the international legal system. In so doing, they are applying the traditional definition of a special regime as a collection of norms. This article encourages readers to conceive instead of a special regime as a community of practice—as an activity structured around the normative presuppositions of the people and institutions that participate in it. This new understanding, the article argues, is compatible with all predominant theories of law. When you adopt it, importantly, the proliferation of special regimes does not have the disintegrating effect that many scholars believe it to have.

American Presidential Elections 2024: The Core Point of Future Geopolitical Changes

Purpose: This research is focused on the ongoing Russia – Ukraine military conflict, which has already caused some significant changes in foreign policy priorities of major players of international political system. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of U.S. 2024 elections to the Russia – Ukraine military conflict outcomes with the aim of analyzing different foreign policy philosophies the two potential candidates have, that can have an effect not only on current Russo-Ukrainian conflict but on the whole global geopolitical situation in the current world. Theoretical Framework: realism as an international relations theory with the system level analysis is used to explain current global geopolitical issues. Method: The issue of methodology is decided according to the necessities of tasks of this article and is mostly based on data analyses, comparison of similarities or differences and case study. Results and Discussion: the current work claims that the major war on the European continent disrupts the core security arrangements which has a shattering effects of unipolar liberal order and how much will this order be changed, is mainly depended on the dedication to it by the U.S.A, European union countries and their liberal democratic allies around the globe. Research Implications: the research findings contribute in raising awareness of the current Ukraine conflict and accumulate the type of knowledge that enriches the political science with theoretical and practical value.

Deciphering Serous Effusions Using the New International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology

Deciphering Serous Effusions Using the New International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology

Beyond retribution: Individual reparations for IHL violations as peace facilitators

Abstract Three decades after the United Nations Security Council invoked its Chapter VII powers to create the ad hoc criminal tribunals, there can be little doubt that the prosecution of individuals responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) contributes to restoring and maintaining peace. While there is little doubt that the reparatory function of justice is just as crucial as retribution, under international law today, reparations for IHL violations remain harrowingly insufficient or borderline non-existent. In scholarship and strategic litigation, various attempts have been made to distil an individual right to reparations from black-letter IHL. This article argues that such approaches are doomed to fail, as procedural aspects of international obligations rarely, if ever, emerge through the evolution of an existing customary international obligation, let alone via the crystallization of a new customary international norm. They are usually triggered by a political shift that makes States adopt novel regulations setting forth the jurisdictional ramifications of enforcing a pre-existing right or obligation. This article thus advances a two-fold argument. First, it asserts that States’ increased compliance with the obligation to provide compensation for violations of IHL attributable to them would contribute to “the restoration and maintenance of peace” just as much as the prosecution of persons responsible for serious violations thereof. Second, it argues that the individual right to claim reparations for IHL violations can only be established through a political decision of States, and that the establishment of an international mechanism for Ukraine might be an important precedent for the evolution of the current international system.

Is International Criminal Law Ready to Accommodate Online Harm?

Abstract New technologies have the potential to both advance accountability for international crimes and to aid in their perpetration. Most of the existing literature to date focuses on the former, such as how digital evidence can be used in international criminal law (ICL) proceedings, or in the case of the latter, has taken a mainly rights-based approach (such as how technology can infringe upon rights to privacy or freedom of expression). This article answers the understudied question of how technology can serve as the vehicle by which certain international crimes are committed or lead to new offences, and how current ICL frameworks may be able to accommodate these ‘online harms’ to ensure that the law recognizes the full scope of harms caused to victims, who currently may not be able to access redress through the international criminal justice system. It identifies three examples of online harm that have a foreseeable nexus to the perpetration of international crimes, including hate speech and disinformation, sharing footage of crimes to the internet, and online sexual violence. The article evaluates the online harms alongside similar harms that have been encompassed by core ICL crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, to assess how online harms might fit into ICL frameworks (e.g. as an aggravating factor at sentencing, a new mode of commission of an existing crime, or a new crime). It concludes that some types of online harm may be more feasible to account for than others, and identifies where the existing ICL architecture falls short, which is important for providing a basis for future research as to how to best include novel online harms under ICL. Finally, the article emphasizes that as technology will only continue to develop and serve as a vehicle for an increasing array of harms, finding ways to account for online harm and bring redress to victims should be an issue at the forefront of ICL.

Step height measurement of monoatomic silicon crystal lattice steps with a commercial atomic force microscope

Abstract Precise control of advanced materials relies on accurate dimensional metrology at the sub-nanometre scale. At this scale, the accuracy of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been limited by the lack of traceable transfer standard artefacts with calibration structures of suitable dimensions. With the adoption in 2019 of the silicon crystal lattice spacing as a secondary realization of the metre in the International System of Units (SI), SPM users have direct access to a realization of the SI metre at the sub-nanometre level by means of the step height of self-assembled monatomic lattice steps that can form on the surface of silicon crystals. A key challenge of successfully adopting this pathway is establishing the need for established protocols to minimize measurement errors and artifacts in routine laboratory use.
In this study, step height measurements of monoatomic lattice steps in an ordinal/staircase structure on a Si(111) crystal surface have been derived from images acquired with a commercially available, research-level atomic force microscope (AFM). Measurement results derived from AFM images using three different SPM image processing and analysis software packages are compared. Significant sources of measurement uncertainty are identified; principally the contribution from the dependence on scan direction. The calibration of the
AFM derived from this measurment was used to traceably measure the sub-nanometre lattice steps on a silicon carbide crystal surface to demonstrate the viability of this calibration pathway.

THE BOTTLENECKS OF INTRODUCING INNOVATION PRODUCTS IN THE COMMERCIAL BANKS OF THE RA

The current stage of banking activity is characterized by a high level of competition not only in terms of the number of banking products and services, the amount of interest rates on deposits and loans, but also especially in terms of their level of innovation. Over the past years, the banking system of Armenia has managed to meet the required international banking standards as much as possible, as a result of which it has managed to integrate more closely into the international banking system. Due to the policy pursued by the Central bank of Armenia, strict sanctions, legislation, regulations, the banking services market is currently developing. Economic development and the emergence of new technological achievements are impossible without innovation. The purpose of the article was to study the theory of innovation, the history of its formation, to analyze the current stage of development of innovation theory and propose options for further development and solutions to existing problems for the banking system of the Republic of Armenia.

International cooperation in the field of forensic medical examination

Forensic medicine plays a key role in the international legal system, providing scientifically based evidence for the resolution of court cases. The importance of this discipline extends beyond national borders, requiring specialists to continually exchange experience, knowledge, and innovative technologies [1]. Intermediate medical staff, including nurses, laboratory technicians, and technologists, play a vital role in maintaining the high quality of research and expertise. In light of globalization and international crimes, forensic medicine faces the need for unified standardization of methods and procedures, which is possible only on the basis of enhanced international cooperation.

Confucius’ Trap?

The rise of the People’s Republic of China has spurred research into whether this rising power will end up colliding with the United States, following a pattern that Graham Allison has called Thucydides’ Trap. However, some of these studies depart from the idea that the State is a unified actor and that conflict is inherent to the international system. In other words, China will behave in the same manner as all western powers on the international stage. This article will sustain that it is impossible to analyse and/or infer the potential conduct of the People’s Republic of China without grasping its over 2000-year’s cultural heritage. The legacy of Confucianism enjoyed a rebirth in the People’s Republic of China since the 1990s. In this sense, the theoretical tool of constructivism is used to study that legacy and its impact on Chinese strategic thinking, which is also linked to Chinese traditions and can be observed in the dynamics of Wéiqí: the weakening of the adversary in order to obtain greater territorial control. To that effect, we observe how investment, trade and cultural penetration by China into the world has evolved in the last few years.

The International System for Reporting Serous Fluid Cytopathology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies.

This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of The International System (TIS) for reporting serous fluid cytopathology. Our aims were to present the pooled malignancy rate of each TIS reporting category and the diagnostic accuracy of cytology using this system. Database search using a predefined strategy was followed by study selection, data extraction, study quality assessment, and statistical analysis. Data derived from 16 eligible studies were pooled. The pooled rates of malignancy were as follows: 27% (95% CI; 16%-41%) for "nondiagnostic" (ND), 11% (95% CI; 7%-18%) for negative for malignancy" (NFM), 49% (95% CI; 37%-61%) for "atypia of undetermined significance" (AUS), 90% (95% CI; 81%-95%) for "suspicious for malignancy" (SFM), and 100% (95% CI; 98%-100%) for "positive for malignancy" (MAL). Studies performed exclusively in cancer hospitals showed higher pooled malignancy rates, compared with academic and community hospitals serving the general population, in the ND [40% (95% CI; 21%-62%) vs. 22% (95% CI; 11%-39%)], NFM [20% (95% CI; 13%-30%) vs. 9% (95% CI; 5%-17%)], and AUS categories [55% (95% CI; 47%-63%) vs. 46% (95% CI; 31%-62%)]. Notably, the difference was significant in the NFM category (P=0.04). When both SFM and MAL cytology interpretations were considered as malignant outcomes, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 68.74% (95% CI; 59.90%-76.39%) and 98.81% (95% CI; 98.18%-99.22%), respectively. In addition, the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was found to be 170.7 (95% CI; 96.2-303.3). Despite its strengths, our study also had some limitations. Therefore, future large-scale longitudinal studies could strengthen the findings of this review.

IT-Related Barriers and Facilitators to the Implementation of a New European eHealth Solution, the Digital Survivorship Passport (SurPass Version 2.0): Semistructured Digital Survey.

To overcome knowledge gaps and optimize long-term follow-up (LTFU) care for childhood cancer survivors, the concept of the Survivorship Passport (SurPass) has been invented. Within the European PanCareSurPass project, the semiautomated and interoperable SurPass (version 2.0) will be optimized, implemented, and evaluated at 6 LTFU care centers representing 6 European countries and 3 distinct health system scenarios: (1) national electronic health information systems (EHISs) in Austria and Lithuania, (2) regional or local EHISs in Italy and Spain, and (3) cancer registries or hospital-based EHISs in Belgium and Germany. We aimed to identify and describe barriers and facilitators for SurPass (version 2.0) implementation concerning semiautomation of data input, interoperability, data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity. IT specialists from the 6 LTFU care centers participated in a semistructured digital survey focusing on IT-related barriers and facilitators to SurPass (version 2.0) implementation. We used the fit-viability model to assess the compatibility and feasibility of integrating SurPass into existing EHISs. In total, 13/20 (65%) invited IT specialists participated. The main barriers and facilitators in all 3 health system scenarios related to semiautomated data input and interoperability included unaligned EHIS infrastructure and the use of interoperability frameworks and international coding systems. The main barriers and facilitators related to data protection or privacy and cybersecurity included pseudonymization of personal health data and data retention. According to the fit-viability model, the first health system scenario provides the best fit for SurPass implementation, followed by the second and third scenarios. This study provides essential insights into the information and IT-related influencing factors that need to be considered when implementing the SurPass (version 2.0) in clinical practice. We recommend the adoption of Health Level Seven Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources and data security measures such as encryption, pseudonymization, and multifactor authentication to protect personal health data where applicable. In sum, this study offers practical insights into integrating digital health solutions into existing EHISs.

Modern Industrial Policy and the World Trade Organization

This article surveys the economics of industrial policy as it relates to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Motivated by concern that the modern use of industrial policy is emerging in ways that threaten cooperation in the international trading system, the article begins with the basic historical economic framework for tying industrial policy to underlying market failures. It then introduces the dominant economic understanding of the role played by the WTO, examining the WTO's rules on subsidies (and thus industrial policy), the unease with the evolution of the trading system's subsidy rules, gaps in knowledge, and important data and measurement shortcomings. The main part of the article examines four areas in which modern industrial policy operates differently and has become especially important for the trading system: China, supply chain resilience, supply chain responsiveness, and climate change. The article identifies the evidence to date, open questions, and potential paths forward for economic research to help inform policymakers’ efforts to restore international economic cooperation in trade and industrial policy.

Belt and Road Initiative and International Political Economy: Convergence to Transformation from Liberal Globalization to Realist Globalization?

This paper examines whether an association emerges between the tendencies of BRI and the international system in terms of globalization which is a good signal for the main characteristic of the international system. The paper has three sections. The first analyzes the tendencies of the international system, the second analyzes the convergence of BRI corridors, and the third discusses the emergence of association between BRI and the international system and the case of non-participants of BRI but effective countries in the international system. The coefficient of variation is used to determine convergence through the KOF Globalization Index-2022 due to its very effective separation between markets and states to support globalization. The conclusion indicates that the international system and BRI have an association in a transformation from liberal globalization to realist globalization while Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom have a reverse transformation with their recent critical positions to BRI.

Piercing the Curtain: Exploring U.S.-Iran Relations and Realism Through the Qasem Soleimani Assassination

In the domain of global politics, the validation of realist theory would occur if a majority of states held substantial power. However, the current international system features states with varying degrees of capability, leading to divergent objectives. This divergence contradicts realist assertions, prompting a critical examination in this article. By practically evaluating the international system, the article recognizes the diverse capabilities and objectives of states influenced by dominant states, especially in the case of postcolonial states, often overlooked by realism. Utilizing defensive and offensive theories within classical (neo) realism, the article analyzes the Qasem Soleimani case to demonstrate the importance of diverse theoretical perspectives in broadening analysis. The case study underscores the ongoing relevance of realism in understanding the self-help and anarchic nature of the international system.

Sustainable development of Chinese higher education through comparison of higher education indices

The purpose of this study is to undertake a comparative study of higher education indices in China and between the 31 administrative divisions of China with the international evaluation system. The analysis includes a comparison of higher education indices between China and six continents and several key countries in the world, as well as a comparison between internal regions in China and Malaysia, both of which are in Asia. The numbers and rankings of higher education institutes (HEIs) of various countries and regions listed in the QS World University Rankings (QS) over 13 years from 2010 to 2023 form the basis of corresponding higher education indices obtained through several calculation formulas. These indices are the QS Higher Education Density Index (QSHEDI), QS Higher Education Quality Index (QSHEQI), QS Higher Education Composite Index (QSHEI), and Relative QS Higher Education Composite Index (RQSHEI), and they reflect the index calculation results of the density, quality, and composite of higher education relative to the regional population. Based on the comparative analysis of the indices from multiple perspectives, this study found that there is a large gap between higher education in China and other countries, and there is also a significant imbalance in the geographical distribution of higher education resources among Chinese provinces based on the population proportion and economic impact. These disparities will hurt the sustainable development of higher education in China. Therefore, paying more attention to the international evaluation system and recognition standards like the QS Rankings becomes necessary to guide the balanced development of higher education among provinces according to the population proportion. It is also vital to improve the international influence of HEIs in China according to internationally recognized requirements so that China's higher education can develop sustainably in the process of global internationalization.

Review of soil form and wetness indicators for wetland delineation in South Africa

Wetland delineation in South Africa incorporates soil form and soil wetness indicators, requiring formal soil classification and description of soil redox morphology. The current wetland definition used administratively in South Africa focuses on saturated (hydric) soil signatures within plant root zones. Saturated soil horizons deeper than plant root zones fall outside the 50 cm criterion in the local approach as well as the accepted zone in USA literature. The field of hydropedology accommodates the classification of the various hydrologically active horizons and provides a tool for the handling of horizons with ephemeral wetness. This approach has been variably accepted by mandated authorities in South Africa. The South African soil classification system has evolved through three editions over the past 50 years while retaining the same redox morphology understanding. However, despite the concepts and context of redox morphology having been thoroughly technically adopted by soil scientists, this is not the case within the wetland research and management environment. This especially because the classification system is structured differently from other international systems, and the South African landscape is geologically ancient with mature soils, introducing challenges to resource assessment specialists who rely on international norms and approaches for wetland assessment. This paper reviews the various components of soil classification and redox morphology based on Fe and Mn minerals within the context of the South African soil classification system, the field of hydropedology and wetland delineation indicators. We provide a qualitative correlation between the various diagnostic horizons and materials in the system and their related redox morphology contexts that are relevant to wetland assessment, delineation, and protection in South Africa. This paper therefore aims to serve as a reference point for the description and correlation of various soil hydrological parameters used in formal assessments.