International Cooperation Mechanisms Research Articles

К проблеме совершенствования международного сотрудничества в сфере противодействия киберпреступности

The problem of functioning of the mechanism of international cooperation in the field of countering cybercrime is investigated. The concept and main features of cybercrime, the system of international organizations implementing policy and regulatory regulation in the field of combating cybercrime are defined. The fundamental international legal acts defining the interaction of the Russian Federation with foreign states in the field of prevention, detection, disclosure and investigation of cybercrimes are highlighted. The authors conclude about the regional nature, fragmentation and inefficiency of the existing legal framework for international cooperation in countering cybercrime. Proposals are made to improve international criminal law in this area and to improve the quality of international cooperation in preventing, combating and minimizing (eliminating) the consequences of cybercrime.

Three Dimensions to Understand “a Global Community of Shared Future”

A Global Community of Shared Future for mankind (GCSF)1 was put forward from legalizing of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, China’s answer to the questions of our times, to promote human progress echoing the trend of the times It provides a new world view and has significant implications for the world. However, the current literature is insufficient in helping us comprehend the concept comprehensively. In this article, we will propose a model to understand GCSF from three dimensions, in which we consider GCSF as a process, instead of a static state. Three dimensions are given to grasp both the conceptual and practical aspects of GCSF: the time dimension, space dimension, and logic dimension. We argue that we should understand GCSF from the angles of history, reality, and the future. It starts from the neighbouring countries, then developing countries, and finally seeks to include all peoples in the world. Besides, the shared future is based on an independent and connected future. Common targets, common responsibilities, and a common identity are necessary for laying the foundations for GCSF. The model can be adapted to analyze the political phenomenon of GCSF in different periods and scales. As the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the major international cooperation mechanism to build GCSF, we adopt the model to analyze the case of China-Europe relations in the context of BRI.

Chinese Scientists in Dubna (1956–1965)

The work of Chinese scientists conducted at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) (1956–1965) was inextricably linked to the Sino-Soviet relations in the 1950s–1960s. During the early stage of the JINR, with the aid of advanced equipment and the international cooperation mechanism, Chinese scientists yielded significant results, such as the discovery of the antisigma-minus hyperon and the proof of the law of partial conservation of axial current (PCAC). After the Sino-Soviet split, Chinese scientists’ activities at the institute were hampered by political tensions, eventually resulting in China’s withdrawal from the JINR in 1965. But through the involvement at the JINR, Chinese scientists were trained in scientific practices and participated in international exchange and cooperation which turned them into a new force in China’s nuclear industry, boosting its nuclear weapons, particle physics theory, and accelerator technology. In the meantime, the scientists’ activities extended the international influence of the JINR. The withdrawal of China from the institute impacted both the JINR and the development of science in China.

Drafting an International Legally Binding Instrument on Business and Human Rights

Abstract This article deals with the process of creating a convention in the field of human rights, the working name of which is the ‘International Legally Binding Instrument on Business and Human Rights’. The author analyses the existing legal grounds for the responsibility of business for human rights violations in international law. She has assessed non-binding instruments, leading her to draw the conclusion that mechanisms strengthening protection are required in human rights protection law. The process of the creation of a new convention itself is subjected to an in-depth review. A special place is given to the issue of the position of a victim of human rights violations committed as a result of the activity of transnational enterprises, the rights of the victims of such violations and the mechanisms of international cooperation in the combatting thereof. In the conclusion the author states that human rights require actions that move beyond existing divisions, and that the work of the intergovernmental group led by Ecuador should be seriously supported by the European Union and the United States.

Public Health and International Obligations of States: The Case of COVID-19 on Cruise Ships

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess, both the flag State and the port State should act according to international obligations during the sailing stage, quarantine period after ships’ berthing, and the time when the quarantine period expires. However, the potential danger of the absence of a “genuine link” between the cruise shipowners and the flag State, the lack of coordination of jurisdiction in different sea areas and between different States, and also the lack of special or systematic regulations for infection prevention and control (IPC) at sea and for cruise ships increase the risk of a State’s breach of international obligations. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to improve the responsive measures in international law. This paper, after review and analysis, sheds light on various recommendations on how to improve the responsive measures in international law, including (i) strengthening of the jurisdiction of the flag State, (ii) establishment of a special international cooperation mechanism with an alliance between the WHO and the IMO, and (iii) construction of an IPC mechanism for home ports of cruise ships.

Research on cooperation mechanism of marine plastic waste management based on complex network evolutionary game

Marine plastic waste pollution affects the stability of the marine ecosystem, inhibits the sustainable development of the blue economy, and threatens the health of humankind. In order to build a stable and long-term international cooperation mechanism in marine plastic waste, this paper takes the country as the research object and propose an international marine plastic waste cooperation network. We introduce the "Matthew effect" of network connection and relationship cost into the model from the perspective of social relations, and uses the method of the evolutionary game on complex networks to construct the evolutionary game model of marine plastic waste treatment. Through simulation methods, this paper explores the impact of economic factors, relational structure and game structure on the evolution of management cooperation of marine plastic waste. It not only provides a theoretical basis for international cooperation in marine plastic waste management, but also provides a clear direction for its implications in practice. Based on the theoretical analysis and empirical research, this research finds that: First, in management cooperation of marine plastic waste, economic factors are the most direct factor, relational structure plays a regulatory role, and game structure is an intermediary variable. Second, the benefits and costs of governance cooperation in economic factors promote and inhibit the cooperation behavior of group respectively. Relationship structure has a two-way effect on the cooperation behavior of group and network stability. Moreover, the cumulative income weight in the game structure is positively related to the partner density. Finally, the key to the current cooperative governance of marine plastic waste is to build a stable and long-term market mechanism, properly handle the influence of major powers, regulate the governance relationships, and promote international cooperation in marine plastic waste management.

CYBERSECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF A NEW TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION AND AN EXPERIENCE OF BRICS STATES

The article considers the influence of disruptive technologies as an impact factor of a modern system of cybersecurity and scientific and technological development (STI-Science, Technology and Innovation) in the conditions of the fourth industrial revolution, taking into account the experience of the BRICS countries, as well as the development of mechanisms for international scientific and technical cooperation within the BRICS. The author's finding of an inevitable development of cooperation within the framework of the BRICS group in order to improve information infrastructure and cybersecurity, ivolve national legal systems and creation of impact factors to create wide prospects for cooperation in the information sphere within the BRICS group and on a global scale. The state of information and cybersecurity will largely depend on the effectiveness of the activities of international organizations, associations of states and regional international structures. At the same time, the level of security in the information sphere, the Internet cyberspace has a direct effect on vulnerability within the national security of each BRICS member country and the entire association as a whole.

An Analysis on the Crisis of “Chips shortage” in Automobile Industry ——Based on the Double Influence of COVID-19 and Trade Friction

The COVID-19 pandemic and various infection control measures have made a great impact on the regular operation of global integrated circuit companies,which caused the“Chips shortage” Phenomenon in the automotive industry. Based on data collected from official channels, industry associations, SIA and enterprises, this paper performed an empirical analysis on the structure of global integrated circuit market, and studied supply and demand in the market. The results of the analyses showed that:1) the pandemic control measures and the re-allocation of market resources are the short-term factors unbalancing the supply and demand for automotive chips. 2) the global shortage of Chips of the automotive industry may continue and the risk of breaking the industrial chain is increasing. Because it is a long industry chain which relies on efficient cross-border collaboration, but it is lack of international prevention and control cooperation mechanism altogether. The current situation presents both challenges and opportunities to China. This paper proposes that China should take efforts in strengthening international cooperation; and improve the core competitiveness of China’s chip industry by the top-level designing and encouraging domestic enterprises to invest in research and development,and to improve their technical performance.

International Cooperation in Space Activities amid Great Power Competition

In the coming decade, intensifying competition between great powers will have a significant impact on the development of space activities (SA) and on the future of international cooperation in this field. The article examines the scope, development paths and competitive advantages of individual countries in the field of space activities, and explores fundamental issues of competition and cooperation. A system analysis method is used to assess current dynamics in this area. The U.S. is expanding cooperation with its allies, while Russia is strengthening cooperation with China in the SA field. We note the “securitization” of SA development processes and emphasize the expansion of the “space” dimension of the international security agenda. There is a danger that “natural competition” may turn into “confrontation,” which is a key factor influencing, inter alia, the need to change the form of organization, the principles, the strategy, and the mechanisms of international cooperation. The article also substantiates the need to strengthen the role of international cooperation in the SA field as a “binding” component of global security.

European Court of Human Rights: review of the Grand Chamber judgment of 2 February 2021 in the case of X and Others v. Bulgaria (аpplication no.22457/16)

In X and Others v. Bulgaria, the European Court of Human Rights analysed the procedural obligation under Article 3 of the Convention to investigate cases where children may have been victims of sexual abuse. The Court reiterated that this obligation needs to pursue an obvious line of inquiry. The Grand Chamber also decided that in such cases, the requirement to conduct an effective investigation must be interpreted in light of obligations that arise from other applicable international instruments, and more specifically, the Lanzarote Convention. In this regard, the procedural obligation under Article 3 of the Convention may include inter alia an obligation for the investigating authorities to cooperate with the authorities of another State, as well as a necessity to conduct investigative measures of a more covert nature. However, the Bulgarian authorities neglected to pursue certain lines of enquiry in the applicants’ case. In particular, they failed to use international cooperation mechanisms and did not carry out numerous investigative measures, including covert measures. According to the Court, the Bulgarian authorities did not take all reasonable measures to shed light on the facts of the case and did not undertake a full and careful analysis of the evidence provided. Consequently, the Court concluded that there had been a violation of procedural limb of Article 3 of the Convention.

International security enhancement instruments and the prevention of terrorist attacks during sports competitions

The article examines issues related to terrorist attacks against participants in sports events, both the athletes themselves and the spectators. The article presents a brief analysis of the existing mechanisms of international law enforcement cooperation. The main aims are to strengthen the interaction of international organizations, national bodies responsible for law enforcement, and sports organizations.

Перспективы и вызовы международного экономического и энергетического сотрудничества после пандемии COVID-19

The article examines the trends that hinder the development of international energy and economic cooperation in 2018–2020. These trends have been particularly exacerbated by the COVID‑19 pandemic and the resulting global economic and energy crisis. Falling demand for oil has affected the decline in world commodity prices. Competition between oil exporters has intensified amid falling demand. As a result, international energy cooperation mechanisms in the energy sector have come under serious pressure. The dynamics of relations between the world’s largest economic centers: China, the United States, the European Union, and the Eurasian space have become another aspect of the aggravation of imbalances and confrontational trends in the global economy. The strengthening of trade contradictions between the United States and China in 2018–2019 negatively affected global economic growth and the dynamics of major manufacturing indices. In turn, the events of 2020 clearly confirmed that the contradictions between China and the United States are of a deep structural nature. These contradictions exacerbate the polarization of the global economic system and cannot be overcome by concessions and agreements exclusively in the field of investment and trade. Against this background, the real effectiveness of measures taken in the EU to deal with the economic consequences of both the pandemic and Brexit is questionable, and can only be reliably assessed after a sufficiently long time. The authors show that in contrast to the situation in the EU, the EAEU has tendencies to further strengthen economic, political and energy cooperation. Despite the COVID‑19 pandemic, the global economic crisis and external challenges, the Eurasian Economic Union not only stands up to them, but also continues to actively work to unite the Union’s countries, as well as improve their energy and economic security. The authors offer their vision of further development of international economic and energy cooperation in the post-pandemic period, taking into account the positive trends in the development of the Eurasian space.

Is it win-win alignment of the Chinese Belt and Road initiative and the Nurly Zhol programme in Kazakhstan? A case study

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is far-reaching policy which aims to expand and strengthen China’s influence in the international sphere. It encompasses many countries around the globe and has the intention of achieving mutual economic growth. Through Belt and Road Initiative, China is establishing multiple strategic partnerships with both small and large countries through the development of infrastructure: the New Silk Road routes from Asia to Europe; the construction of oil and gas pipelines between Central Asia and China; and modernized seaports. This study will analyse the Chinese initiative as evidence for hegemonic stability theory in relation to long-term impact; and the convergence between the Belt and Road and Nurly Zhol programmes in relation to short-term impacts on the development of Kazakhstan. The methods used are theory building; and a comparative analysis of the two programmes in terms of establishing a strategic partnership between China and Kazakhstan. The China International Initiative is an entirely new global mechanism of international cooperation that aims to achieve mutually beneficial and successful development. The participating countries that are actively involved in it, and will receive significant benefits, and this is about 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations that have already signed documents on cooperation with China within the framework of this initiative. In conclusion, conclusions are given regarding the alignment of interests with the program Nurly-Zhol and from the Chinese initiative for the development of the Belt and Road.

A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis

Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, a large number of international seafarers have been stranded aboard ships. Some seafarers have been banned from coming ashore even for over 18 months. Crew change crisis is a time bomb for marine trade because seafarers play an important role in ensuring the safety of ship navigation and maintaining the smooth flow of global supply chain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons of crew change crisis and legal framework of seafarers’ right to stop working and leave the ships they serve, and to provide a supporting system for relieving COVID-19 international seafarers change crisis. Situation analysis, which is a widely held method in health policy research to understand the present condition, contributes to finding out the reasons for crew change crisis. Statistical analysis is used to demonstrate the obstacles encountered in public health governance on crew change. Information is collected from official websites of governments and international organizations. The study provides three solutions for relieving COVID-19 crew change crisis based on China’s successful experience. The first is to implement refined management including monitoring of the pandemic, crew transportation, tracking and preventing mechanism. The second is to construct public-private collaboration mechanism and provide policy support on helping shipping companies reduce cost, which contributes to shipping companies to relieve their economic pressure on seafarers shift arrangement. The third is to construct international cooperation mechanism for crew changes.

Directions for Improving the Mechanisms of Public Administration in the Field of Ensuring Biosafety of Ukraine

The directions for improving the organizational and legal instruments to ensure public administration in the field of biosafety of Ukraine are considered. It is proposed to create a permanent National Monitoring Centre for Biological Threats taking into consideration that there is no single authorized body in the field of biosafety in Ukraine, and the functions of monitoring epidemic and epidemiological information are assigned to various institutions. The activities of the monitoring centre are designed to support organizationally and functionally the existing system for responding to emergencies of a medical and biological nature and to increase its efficiency by significantly reducing the response time to emergency situations. It is proven that the integration of the existing sources of information on current biological risks in a dynamic mode within a single centre will significantly speed up the response time to the emergence of biological threats. It provides a transition from retrospective analysis to monitoring risks and their prevention. Taking into account that the effectiveness of the mechanism of public administration in the field of biosafety depends on the efficiency of public authorities, the directions for improving the organizational and legal support of public administration in the field of biosafety of Ukraine is presented. It is substantiated that it is expedient to improve the information support of public administration in the field of biological safety, in particular, through the formation of relevant databases covering the field of professional training, human resources, and research activities in the field of biological safety. The need to form the centralized registers is confirmed by foreign experience. The formation of information databases allows creating not only conditions for the controllability of the biological safety system within Ukraine, but also contributes to the formation of an effective mechanism of international cooperation (international mediation in this area).

Convention mechanism for international cooperation in the field of cultural property illegal traffic

The article examines the foundations of the convention mechanism for international cooperation in the field of cultural property illegal trafficking. The author notes that not all international legal norms are implemented by states into national legislation, and therefore, the uniformity of their application is violated. Thus, there is still a need to sign and ratify treaties, the provisions of which are aimed at cultural value illegal trafficking prevention and the development of a mechanism for international legal control over compliance with agreements in this area.

International Tourism Cooperation Based on “the Belt and Road”: Strategy and Path

Abstract Culture is the soul of tourism and tourism is the carrier of culture. With the help of regional cooperation platforms and historical and cultural symbols of the ancient Silk Road, “The Silk Road Economic Belt” and “The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road” will develop economic cooperation among countries along the belt and road, and jointly build a community of Shared interests, destiny and responsibility featuring political mutual trust, economic integration and cultural tolerance. In order to implement the “Belt and Road” initiative, promote international cooperation and meet the development needs of its own industries, it has important practical significance to carry out international tourism cooperation under the strategic background of “Belt and Road”, which enhances the in-depth exchange of cultures of various countries, broadens the service choice of international tourism, and learns from advanced service concepts. Following the “Belt and Road” strategy, as the pilot industry of connectivity tourism led to the development of international tourism cooperation, but is still in its infancy, the overall scale is still small, with a larger space for future development. At this stage, there are four problems and challenges in international tourism cooperation under the Belt and Road Strategy: the foundation of cooperation is not solid enough, cultural resources are not fully utilized, brand awareness is insufficient, and the degree of convenience needs to be improved. Therefore, to achieve a stable and sustainable development of tourism in the countries along the route through four paths:the development of permanent mechanism of international tourism cooperation, the creation of unique Silk Road cultural characteristics of tourism products and routes, the creation of tourism boutique projects and the cultivation of international brands, enhance infrastructure construction and tourist visa facilitation.

The COVID-19 Pandemic, International Cooperation, and Populism

AbstractInconsistent efforts at international cooperation often undermined global efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 health pandemic. Pundits and scholars alike laid much of the blame for this lack of cooperation on domestic political factors, especially populist leaders. Could international relations theories have predicted this behavior? I argue that there are no off-the-shelf theories that engage populism with traditional mechanisms of international cooperation, especially cooperation facilitated by international institutions. I explore how populist sentiment, whether stemming from the public or leaders, can pose barriers to cooperation. I argue that populists are especially likely to resist cues from foreign actors; are especially reticent to delegate national sovereignty; and are especially resistant to policies that result in gains for elites and, when coupled with nationalism, foreigners. The essay concludes with suggestions for further theoretical and empirical research.

Economic component of the sustainable development concept

The article deals with the problem of the realization of the right to development in international economic law in the context ofthe development of international cooperation. The normative component of the right to development is considered. The relationshipbetween the right to development and the system of principles of international economic law is analyzed.The normative fixing of the elements of the right to development in international legal instruments is defined. The application ofthe right to development in the practice of international organizations is shown. The article also discusses the challenges of today’s sustainabledevelopment.Sustainable development is based on three main elements: environmental, economic and social equality. The right to developmentcan’t be imagined without the institutional mechanisms of international economic law. It is clear that the activities of institutional institutions at the global, regional and subregional levels contribute to the development of partnerships at the interstate level in order toachieve development. Cooperation of states at the institutional level influences the formation of the modern international economicorder. Implementing sustainable development at the national level is a difficult task due to the vagueness of national legislation, lackof funding and lack of adequate institutional capacity. An important element in exercising the right to development is the developmentof effective mechanisms for international cooperation. Transformations in this direction require coordination, mutual responsibility andaccountability, interest and efficiency. It is clear that the activities of international institutions at the global, regional and subregionallevels promote the development of partner relations at the interstate level in order to achieve development. Cooperation of states at theinstitutional level affects the formation of modern international economic order, accelerates the formation of important conceptual provisionsof a legal, economic and political nature and promotes global development. Transformation in this direction requires coordinationof action, mutual accountability and reporting, interest and effectiveness. The enhancement of transparency and accountability inthe use of development provides assistance in creation of effective and mutually beneficial partnerships in this area.

Economic component of the sustainable development concept

The article deals with the problem of the realization of the right to development in international economic law in the context ofthe development of international cooperation. The normative component of the right to development is considered. The relationshipbetween the right to development and the system of principles of international economic law is analyzed.The normative fixing of the elements of the right to development in international legal instruments is defined. The application ofthe right to development in the practice of international organizations is shown. The article also discusses the challenges of today’s sustainabledevelopment.Sustainable development is based on three main elements: environmental, economic and social equality. The right to developmentcan’t be imagined without the institutional mechanisms of international economic law. It is clear that the activities of institutional institutions at the global, regional and subregional levels contribute to the development of partnerships at the interstate level in order toachieve development. Cooperation of states at the institutional level influences the formation of the modern international economicorder. Implementing sustainable development at the national level is a difficult task due to the vagueness of national legislation, lackof funding and lack of adequate institutional capacity. An important element in exercising the right to development is the developmentof effective mechanisms for international cooperation. Transformations in this direction require coordination, mutual responsibility andaccountability, interest and efficiency. It is clear that the activities of international institutions at the global, regional and subregionallevels promote the development of partner relations at the interstate level in order to achieve development. Cooperation of states at theinstitutional level affects the formation of modern international economic order, accelerates the formation of important conceptual provisionsof a legal, economic and political nature and promotes global development. Transformation in this direction requires coordinationof action, mutual accountability and reporting, interest and effectiveness. The enhancement of transparency and accountability inthe use of development provides assistance in creation of effective and mutually beneficial partnerships in this area.