National Interests Research Articles

‘National Interest’ Rhetoric in Defensive Institutional Work

‘National Interest’ Rhetoric in Defensive Institutional Work

Indo-Pakistan rivalry and integrated ring balancing: prospects and challenges to regional stability in South Asia

ABSTRACT Pakistan's security landscape faces unprecedented challenges due to India's burgeoning power and its strategic alignment with the United States. This study proposes an innovative ‘Integrated Ring Balancing’ framework to navigate this complex geopolitical environment. The framework operates across three tiers: Tier 1: Direct engagement with immediate neighbors – India, Iran, China, and Afghanistan. Tier 2: Building robust linkages with the neighbors of Pakistan's Tier 1 partners, encompassing South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Tier 3: Leveraging major powers – China, Russia, and the United States – through Tier 1 and 2 partnerships. This multi-layered approach aims to achieve two key objectives: (1) Neutralize India's US-backed advantage: Engaging China and Russia can influence Tier 2 states, particularly in Central Asia, to rebalance their regional positioning towards Pakistan. (2) Develop a collective defense system: Converging geo-economic interests via initiatives like the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) can foster a regional security ring around Pakistan. By strategically engaging across these tiers, Pakistan can navigate the complex power dynamics in South Asia, bolster its security, and ultimately safeguard its national interests in the face of a strengthened India.

The Legal Status and Improvement Path of Human Genetic Data in Gene Therapy in China.

In the legal context of Chinese law, genetic data are an object of complex rights. At the level of private law, genetic data contain personal information, thus being protected by the Civil Code and the Personal Information Protection Law. At the level of public law, genetic data are important genetic resource that embody both public and national interests, which should also be regulated by public laws such as the Biosecurity Law and the Data Security Law. The recently issued Regulation on the Administration of Human Genetic Resources have refined the approval and record procedure, in order to promote the utilization of genetic data in China. At present, China still lacks sufficient protection for genetic data privacy, and the "informed consent" and "anonymization" system cannot work effectively. On the path of improvement, we should break constraints of individualism and start from the following three levels to strengthen genetic data privacy protection: formulating specialized legislation and leveraging the functions of group organizations and public interest litigation systems.

NATIONAL INTERESTS OF UKRAINE IN THE FIELD OF FINANCIAL SECURITY

The article investigates the system of financial security in Ukraine and its national interests in this domain. It proposes to consider the financial security of the state as ensuring the development of the financial system and financial relations, as well as economic processes, creating the necessary financial conditions for the socio-economic and financial stability of Ukraine's development, maintaining the integrity and unity of the financial system (including the monetary, budgetary, credit, tax, and currency systems), and successfully overcoming internal and external threats to the country in the financial sphere. It is substantiated that financial security reflects the state and readiness of the state's financial system for timely and reliable financial support of economic needs on a scale sufficient to maintain the necessary level of economic and military security of Ukraine. It is proven that the most important national interests of Ukraine in the financial sphere include: supporting state expenditures in accordance with available resources; ensuring targeted financing of state programs (primarily social ones); investing in the field of high-tech and knowledge-intensive production; mitigating the impact of global financial crises on the national economy; overcoming discrepancies regarding the distribution and use of budgetary resources; strengthening measures to restrain inflationary processes in the economy and maintaining a stable high exchange rate of the national currency; countering illegal capital outflow abroad; attracting foreign investments (especially long-term ones in the industrial sector of the economy); adopting effective regulatory legal acts ensuring the normal functioning of the country's financial system; building an effective law enforcement mechanism to protect state finances from the influence of criminal activities and encroachments.

Financial openness of countries in the context of globalization

The article examines the trends and aspects of financial openness in countries amid their integration into the international financial space. The analysis shows that the drive towards global integration leads to an increase in economic ties and the intensification of interactions between states, which in turn positively impacts investment opportunities and business conditions. However, the growth of financial openness is accompanied by heightened risks, such as financial crimes, money laundering, and the influence of external economic factors on national markets. The relationship between financial policy, financial openness, and economic stability is explored, along with the role of regulatory measures in ensuring a balance between open financial markets and the protection of national interests. The study includes an analysis of the Chinn-Ito Financial Openness Index as a tool for assessing the level of financial openness in countries. The results indicate that countries with high values of this index typically exhibit significant financial integration, although economic and political factors can lead to variations in the indicators. The importance of harmonizing national legislation with international standards and adapting financial policy to achieve sustainable economic growth and ensure financial stability is highlighted.

Financial strategies for the development of the military-industrial complex in the national security system of Ukraine

The paper clarifies that ensuring national security, the country’s defense capability, and economic growth critically depends on the development of Ukraine’s military industry. Improvement of financial and technological support, development of innovations, and international cooperation are the key directions of the financial strategies of the military industry. It has been proven that the development of the military industry in the national security system of Ukraine requires a comprehensive approach and close cooperation between various branches of government, scientific institutions, and the private sector, which will ensure not only defense capability but also contribute to the economic development of the country. It is substantiated that the successful implementation of financial strategies for the development of the industrial complex requires an appropriate foundation, namely: an increase in financial resources for the modernization of production facilities and the development of new technologies; integration of modern technologies into the production process; increase in costs for training and attracting new specialists; expansion of cooperation with NATO countries and other international partners; participation in joint international projects and programs. The main aspects and directions of the development of the military industry in the context of national security are substantiated: the development of own production capacities to ensure autonomy in the production of military equipment, critical components and systems, weapons, and ammunition; increasing investments in the GDR for the development of own technologies and increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian military-industrial complex products; carrying out corporatization and privatization through the transformation of state-owned military-industrial complex enterprises into more efficient corporate structures; development and implementation of laws that contribute to the development of the military industry and the protection of national interests; implementation of international standards in the production and management of the military industry.

STRATEGIC CULTURE OF SAUDI ARABIA

The publication analyses the impact of Saudi Arabia’s strategic culture on the formation of its foreign policy. The relevance of the topic is connected to the growing challenges in the field of international security associated with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which has demonstrated fundamental changes in the modern system of international relations with a tendency towards multipolarity with mega-centres of power. Within the Middle East international political space, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may become such a centre of power, one of the national interests of which is the desire to gain regional leadership. The article analyses the theoretical foundations of the concept of strategic culture and extrapolates these conclusions to the study of the attitude of the Saudi political elite to the use of force, as well as the tools for preventing and combating potential risks and threats to national security. Thus, through the prism of constructivism theory, the article outlines each of the main components of Saudi Arabia’s strategic culture, namely: the role of the country’’s strategically important geographical location, historical retrospective of the state’s formation, analysis of the perception of threats and tools for overcoming them, the state’s attitude to its enemies and allies in the international arena, and the factor of «soft power”.It is determined that the strategic culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is based on a high level of sensitivity to internal and external threats, which is the reason for the active militaristic policy of the state, rivalry for regional dominance with Iran and development of strategic relations with a strong ally, which historically has been the United States of America. At the same time, it should be noted that in order to achieve national interests in the turbulent international security environment, Saudi Arabia actively uses the soft power factor, which has a direct correlation with its national identity as an Islamic state.

Deterrence in Inter-State Communication: International Signaling Strategies

In the era of global Great Powers, it may prove to be more expensive for nations to either participate in conflict or cooperate. Nevertheless, deterrence becomes a significant point of reference for nations desiring to avoid war while also influencing the decisions and behaviors of their rivals. Discouraging an adversary's willingness to fight is not only less expensive than actual warfare, but also provides greater prestige and credibility for safeguarding national interests. In order to communicate deterrence policies to the other side, states often resort to signaling. Sometimes these signals are explicit, sometimes partial and ambiguous. Signaling can also sometimes be exclusively harsh and sometimes cooperative. Signaling studies, which pertain to a multidisciplinary literature spanning international relations to political communication and psychology, are increasingly critical in debates on state behavior. This is not only due to their academic significance but also their practical utility for actors. This study will examine the historical progression of deterrence and current deterrence theories utilizing various types of deterrence. The next section will discuss the use of signaling as a means of deterrence, analyzing the types of signals and the motivation of states to communicate with their adversaries in order to achieve their objectives. Following this, the literature on signaling will be reinforced with significant examples from international politics. Lastly, this study will conclude by discussing the transformative processes of deterrence and signaling debates in the modern era, taking into account emerging trends.

Understanding Russia’s war against Ukraine: Political, eschatological and cataclysmic dimensions

ABSTRACT We apply Anatol Rapoport’s typology of war to reconstruct how Russian research communities explain war against Ukraine. We argue that the initial three-dimensional framework can be divided into two explanatory models: military-political and eschatological-cataclysmic. The first model explains the war with reference to classical calculus about military threats and national interests. The second model interprets war as an act of creating a new world order and as a struggle existential for Russia. These two models are not mutually exclusive, yet they illuminate evolution of meanings given for the war during the first two years of Russia’s large-scale invasion against Ukraine.

Institute of the National Heritage: A Retrospective of the Idea, Image and Economic Constitutionalization

The institution of the national heritage takes an important place in the Soviet constitutional construction, in the history of legal science and in the practical construction of the planned economy — the most efficient economy in the world. Its introduction was dictated by the revolutionary conditions of 1917, passed all legislative levels of consolidation, served as the material for the work of the Gosplan of the USSR — the state body responsible for planning the development of the national economy of the USSR and monitoring planned implementation. It also was the foundation for the work of large‑scale state enterprises that create high income for the development of high rates of industrial economy and increase the standard of living of the population. The historical and legal research of the Institute of National Heritage, the experience of the development of a planned economy, should be conducted in the national interests of the Russian Federation. The institution of the national heritage, its constitutional consolidation and implementation have become a basic part of the socially oriented economic organization of the Russian statehood. The socially oriented economic organization of the State, in turn, is the target task of economic constitutionalization. 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the first Union Constitution of the USSR in 1924. It should be assumed that not only a historian or a lawyer, but also any person who is not professionally involved in the evolution of statehood, knows that the new constitution arises as a result of political, social, and economic transformations. There is a reason to recall the Soviet state‑building, its main motivational forces. There are epoch‑making constitutions adopted as a result of revolutions — in the Russian past, these were the Constitution of the RSFSR of 1918 and the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993. The Constitution of the USSR of 1924 would not have seen the light if there had not been the Constitution of the RSFSR of 1918, which, in turn, the world would not have seen without the revolutionary events of 1917. The Constitutions of 1936 and 1977 were in progress. What is the legal idea that permeates the entire Soviet history? Let’s try to answer the question.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN MODERN SCIENTIFIC DISCOURSE: THE ROLE OF PARADIPLOMACY

The article reveals the essence of the concept of public diplomacy and a retrospective of its formation in the current scientific discourse. It is noted that the field of US public diplomacy is quite actively researched by modern scientists. It is shown that the term “public diplomacy” should be understood as the activity of various actors, both governmental and non-governmental, which is intended to explain to the foreign public the foreign policy pursued by the country and to encourage this or that state to make its foreign policy decisions in the direction that is beneficial to the given actor . It has been established that the concept of “cultural diplomacy” is narrower than the concept of “public diplomacy”, which should be understood as a set of activities carried out by both central and foreign bodies of external relations of the state with the aim of researching the attitude and informing the foreign public. as well as establishing contacts abroad, with the aim of improving the state’s image and achieving national interests. So, in the United States of America, there is no separation of “cultural diplomacy” from “public diplomacy”. The concept of paradiplomacy is also considered as a tool of activity of subnational actors in the international arena and components of diplomatic communication processes taking place in the modern world. It has been proven that paradiplomacy is an integral part of modern international relations along with public diplomacy and cultural diplomacy.

An ecological study shows increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in children living in a heavily polluted area

The burden of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing worldwide with genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors being possibly responsible for the observed epidemiological figures. In the setting of environmental exposure, the city of Taranto, in Southern Italy, represents an interesting case study as it hosts well inside the city one of the biggest steel plants in Europe. This is a cross-sectional ecological study carried out in the year 2020 in the province of Taranto designed to estimate the burden of ASD in the municipalities of Taranto and Statte, classified as high environmental risk areas (Contaminated Site of National Interest—SIN), compared to the other 27 municipalities of the same province. Differences have been evaluated using the Chi Square Test. Children aged 6–11 years identified in SIN municipalities had a statistically significant higher prevalence of ASD than children of other municipalities (9.58 vs. 6.66/1000 respectively, p = 0.002). No statistically significant difference was observed for the 12–18 years group (3.41 vs. 2.54/1000, p = 0.12). The findings observed in this study are suggestive of the association between urban residential proximity to industrial facilities emitting air pollutants and higher ASD prevalence.

Contact Groups as Diplomatic Intervention Tools in Civil Wars: US Diplomacy

Summary American diplomacy employs contact groups to secure the United States’ national interests and fulfil its role as a superpower in several regions worldwide. This article explores three examples of contact groups formed by US diplomacy to intervene in the civil wars in Libya, Syria and Yemen. It tracks the groups’ formation process, meetings’ content and the US assessment of their influence on American interests and the course of the conflicts. The article concludes that the formation process was developed under sensitive compromises among the stakeholders of each conflict and led to the exclusion of some essential actors. The contact groups were influential at the tactical level and impacted the course of the conflicts in the short term, preventing humanitarian disasters, taking de-escalation steps and securing American interests, but they failed to achieve successful settlements.

Thirty Years' Crisis: The Decline of U.S. Hegemony and the Rise of China

This article examines the current global landscape, characterized by the decline of US hegemony and the rise of China, and draws parallels to Carr's "Twenty Years' Crisis." The implications of these shifts are explored, including the resurgence of realism, China's ascent as a global power, challenges to US leadership, and the potential risks of a global military conflict. The resurgence of power politics challenges the prevailing belief that it had diminished in the post-Cold War era. Territorial disputes and the pursuit of national interests by major powers such as Russia and China highlight the enduring relevance of realism. China's rapid rise as a global power echoes the emergence of the United States as a superpower in the past. Meanwhile, the United States faces challenges as its economic and technological superiority wanes, with China posing a significant threat to its leadership. In conclusion, the current global landscape, similar to Carr's "Twenty Years' Crisis," demands a holistic approach to understanding and addressing the complexities of our time.

India’s maritime security dilemma and geopolitical competition in Indo-Pacific

ABSTRACT Maritime security is a major concern in the contemporary global environment. Rapid technological progress has facilitated the exploration and utilisation of oceanic resources in remote offshore regions. Traditionally, the maritime domain has faced several threats, such as sea piracy, armed robberies, and illegal drugs. In the twenty-first century, with the rise of China as an important maritime power, geo-strategic competition has increased among great powers. India has long enjoyed a sphere of influence in the Indian Ocean Region has been challenged. The rise of China poses a credible security threat to India in the Indo-Pacific region. This article explores the dynamic backdrop of global, regional, and domestic politics and their effects on Indian foreign policy through the ocean. This article contends that the marine security initiatives and actions observed over the last decade necessitate more comprehensive consideration. In global maritime politics, India and the USA look to each other as partners to counterbalance China. Nevertheless, India is not ready for any military alliance against China based on Indian national interests. Therefore, this paper examines how India has pursued its ‘strategic autonomy’ in the region during the power rivalry between China and the US.

Use Of Medical Tools In Gaining Vital Intelligence For National Security Purposes

The definition of Medical Intelligence is by all accounts a broad and complex scientific task that needs to encompass wider ramifications of using medical and biological data to advance national security interests. The paper focuses on examples of using the medical discipline in the form of an exhaustive collection of medical data in order to arrive at very specific results significant in the pursuit of national security or political stability, albeit only from the point of view of a particular actor – the state. The three representative cases are illustrated to arrive at a fundamental understanding of how the medical data – intelligence – can be used if the medical environment is burdened by the imperative to further strategic state-devised objectives. In the organization of a fictitious inoculation campaign in rural Pakistan by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2011 to track down the whereabouts of Osama bin Ladin through mapping the DNA pattern of purported bin Ladin’s relatives, the state actor focused specifically on collection of human biological samples while deploying covert tactics – both disregarding the purported motive of the “health campaign” as well as executing the operation on the foreign soil. In another example, perceiving the potential uncontrolled population growth as a direct threat to both vital national interests, as well as the country’s public image, Uzbekistan, on the state level, has engaged in mass forced sterilization programs to curb the national birth rate. In a similar perception, the treatment of the rare disease of leprosy in Uzbekistan historically encompassed methods incompatible with medical ethics and basic human rights.The precedents will be examined as part of the wider discourse on what constitutes Medical Intelligence, and what is permissible within the framework of national security concerns.

China’s Marine Political Economy in the South China Sea and Its Development Strategy under the Belt and Road Initiative: Opportunities, Challenges, and Trends on the 14th Five-Year Plan

To assure a brilliant and prosperous future of China, the Chinese government has been deliberately and continuously designing and promulgating a series of national plans and grand strategies. The implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and every Five-Year National Plans become absolutely important momentum to lift up China’s economy, which is seen as “Xiconomics.” To better realize the goals of these grand projects and national plans; the Chinese government also has smartly invented different institutions and regimes such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Silk Road Fund, forums, dialogues, or the establishment of strategic partnerships. As on China’s power expansion, the South China Sea definitely is one of the most important regions and areas for searching marine energy and resources. As on the BRI, that is to say, the “twenty first Century Maritime Silk Road,” the South China Sea is a critical route for ships from China’s coastal ports to the Indian Ocean, and then to European States. It is also a strategic route for ships to the South Pacific from China. Beijing firmly claims that the South China Sea is one of its national core interests without suspension and incredulity. Coincidentally, as on China’s National 14th Five-Year Plan (14th FYP), building a “Beautiful China” by 2035 is one of its goals of sustainable development and enhancement of people’s wellbeing. Thus, the South China Sea has occupied a very important position and national development for future sustainable development and marine economy. This paper aims to examine China’s marine political economy in the South China Sea as well as to scrutinize its strategic considerations and layout since 2021.

Narrowing Cardiovascular Disease Health Disparities by Advancing the Role of Pharmacists Through a Multisector Consortium.

Demand for scaling and sustaining clinical services to improve health outcomes while minimizing costs is rising, particularly for patients dealing with major cardiovascular disease and stroke risk factors such as hypertension. Consequently, there is growing national and local interest in engaging pharmacists as part of the solution through the implementation of comprehensive medication management. To capitalize on this momentum, a team from the University of Southern California led the establishment of the California Right Meds Collaborative (CRMC) in 2019. CRMC aims to reduce the burden of uncontrolled chronic disease by advancing the role of pharmacists as team members in the health care system. This case study describes CRMC's structure and approach to developing value-based payment models and advancing the competency of pharmacists through training, continuous quality improvement, and technical assistance. In addition, this case study provides an overview of a CRMC pilot project wherein a local health plan tested a value-based payment model to deliver comprehensive medication management. The pilot underwent many iterative changes throughout its duration but ultimately was considered a success and adopted as part of standard practice. Lessons learned from this effort can help others leverage the availability of pharmacists to assist vulnerable populations in their communities.

The Key to Success in U.S. Immigration Applications: Essential Preparation and the Importance of Copywriting for EB1A and NIW

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the EB1A (Extraordinary Ability) and NIW (National Interest Waiver) visa categories, which offer a pathway to U.S. permanent residency for exceptional professionals and researchers. It highlights the importance of thorough preparation, effective documentation, and compelling copywriting in the application process. By demystifying the criteria and steps involved, the article aims to equip applicants with the knowledge and strategies necessary to enhance their chances of success. Case studies are presented to illustrate successful application strategies and common pitfalls to avoid.

Ownership Interference and the Principle of Fairness in the Nigeria Broadcast Industry

This paper examines how ownership interference affects a fair, pluralistic and objective press in Nigeria especially the broadcast media. It exposes that the press must be balance and provide opportunity for all shades of opinions on every raging issue of national interest in line with the social responsibility theory of the press. It concludes that ownership interference whether government, institution or individuals is one pivotal issue that impedes the press from achieving the above objective and admonishes that they should be limited inferences from media owners on the activities of media organization. This work, therefore, highlights on how ownership interference impedes on achieving a fair, objective and reliable press in Nigeria, especially the broadcast media.