Sub-regions Of Asia Research Articles

The paradox of competing connectivity strategies in Asia

Competing connectivity strategies are a core component of geopolitics in the twenty-first century – from China’s Belt and Road Initiative to Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. To demonstrate the multifaceted consequences of the new multiplicity of connectivity strategies, we propose a conceptual distinction between two forms of competition among connectivity projects: the commonly addressed horizontal competition between central state-driven connectivity strategies and the less explored vertical competition between existing or potential connectivity schemes below and above the level of the nation state. We contend that although typically targeting differing forms of connectivity, strategies across levels of governance are not necessarily complementary. To the contrary, the geopolitical nature of relatively new and nation-state-driven strategies can also severely undermine sustainable intra-state connectivity. By way of illustration, we examine competing connectivity investments in the Bay of Bengal, a subregion of South Asia between the two Asian rivals India and China. Driven at least partly by horizontal competition, centrally devised and executed connectivity strategies oftentimes crowd out pre-existing connectivity based on subnational initiatives or transnational societal linkages. To fully assess contemporary connectivity investments in Asia, future scholarship should take account of the challenges and complications along both dimensions of competing connectivity strategies.

Has artemisinin resistance emerged in Africa?

Earlier this century, Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites developed the ability to evade the action of artemisinin antimalarials. This delayed clearance phenotype, referred to as artemisinin resistance, is widespread in the Greater Mekong Subregion of southeast Asia, where it is associated with treatment failures for some artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), the drugs of choice to treat P falciparum malaria.1 However, there is little evidence of artemisinin resistance beyond southeast Asia.

POLICY RESPONSE OF ASIAN ECONOMIES TO COVID-2019 PANDEMIC: CHINA, THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA, JAPAN

The countries of Northeast Asia were the first countries in the world, which faced the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the epicenter of which was the city of Wuhan in the Chinese province of Hubei. As of the end of March, the spread of the pandemic has been brought under control. Compared to other sub-regions in Asia and the Pacific, Northeast Asia was relatively well prepared for COVID-19 in terms of health systems, access to basic services and connectivity. The national response to COVID-19 was quick and varied. The governments have adopted numerous policies to contain the spread of the virus, as well as to address growing socio-economic challenges and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the governments of China, the Republic of Korea and Japan have leveraged an existing memorandum of cooperation and a joint action plan to implement joint responses to pandemic influenza and new and re-emerging infectious diseases. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the necessary containment measures have resulted in a sharp decline in economic activity, widespread loss of jobs and livelihoods and disruptions in the provision of basic services. In 2020, the countries in the region experienced a marked economic decline. After a significant drop in domestic demand and trade disruptions in the first half of 2020, the second half of 2020 was characterized by a gradual recovery in exports, there are currently signs of a recovery. The aim of current research was to investigate the practices of the three Asian countries – China, the Republic of Korea and Japan – in supporting businesses and citizens who found themselves in a difficult life situation due to the coronavirus, in order to identify optimal examples of economic policy during pandemic. The most effective measures to support the economy of China during the COVID-19 pandemic were food supply; control over the increase in the production; online services launched by the government. The most effective measures to support the economy of the Republic of Korea were: the Bank of Korea has cut its key rate to a record low benchmark; the Bank of Korea has provided the loans to the country’s commercial banks; the country’s government has allocated considerable funds to support South Korean SMEs; Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency has actively developed a global online trading platform; consumption taxes in case of car purchases have been reduced significantly to support the market; the enterprises with an annual turnover of less than Korean WON 60 million won have been provided with VAT exemptions. The most effective measures which have been taken by the government of Japan to were: there have been allocated USD 4.1 billion to support Japanese SMEs; there has been announced the development of a package of large-scale measures to support the country’s economy; there have been introduced special conditions for lending to SMEs; the activities of the companies involved in the fight against the pandemic have been subsidized; there has been introduced a simplified license renewal procedure for import/export and tariff quota certificates; the Bank of Japan has doubled up to USD 112 billion the exchange-traded fund (ETF) buyback program; a payment has been provided for the citizens who cannot work; a consulting service has been organized to support SMEs; for SMEs which were forced to send part of their employees on vacation or training, the state would cover the costs of forced leave in the amount of 4/5 during 100 days.

Effective COVID-19 Control: A Systematic and Comparative Analysis of the Stringency and Timeliness of Government Responses of Selected Countries and Subregions in Asia

Background: Many governments in East and Southeast Asia responded promptly and effectively at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematically synthesizing these responses is vital for disease control evidence-based policy making.Methods: An extensive review of COVID-19 control measures was conducted in selected Asian countries and subregions, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and Vietnam from January 1 to May 30, 2020. Control measures were categorized into administrative, public health, and health system measures. To evaluate the stringency and timeliness of responses, we developed two indices: the Initial Response Index (IRI) and the Modified Stringency Index (MSI), which builds on the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT).Findings: Comprehensive administrative, public health, and health system control measures were implemented at the onset of the outbreak. Despite variations in package components, the stringency of control measures across the study sites increased with the acceleration of the outbreak, with public health control measures implemented the most stringently. Variations in daily average MSI scores are observed, with Mainland China scoring the highest (74·2), followed by Singapore (67·4), Vietnam (66·8), Hong Kong (66·2), South Korea (62·3), Taiwan (52·1), and Japan (50·3). Variations in IRI scores depicting timeliness were higher: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore acted faster (IRI>50·0), while Japan (42·4) and Mainland China (4·2) followed.Interpretation: Timely setting of stringency of the control measures, especially public health measures, at dynamically high levels is key to optimally controlling outbreaks.Funding: Saudi Ministry of Finance; Duke Global Health Institute.Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interests.

Islam Radicalization Factors in Post-Soviet Tajikistan

This article explores the problem of Islamic fundamentalism in Tajikistan. The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that in this Republic there is the greatest activity of Islamist movements among all CIS countries. The potential destabilization of the situation in Tajikistan threatens the entire sub-region of Central Asia, and may also lead to the transit of instability to the Russian North Caucasus. In this paper, the author examines the influence of religious, socio-economic and other factors on the radicalization of Islam in this post-Soviet Republic, as well as the activities of fundamentalist groups with a focus on the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT).

The Mammuthus-Coelodonta Faunal Complex at its southeastern limit: A biogeochemical paleoecology investigation in Northeast Asia

During the past several decades, the paleoecology of the Mammuthus-Coelodonta Faunal Complex in the Palearctic has been thoroughly explored, especially using stable isotope analysis. Numerous studies have documented high ecological plasticity and regional heterogeneities for this fauna. However, very limited attention has focused on Northeast Asia, at the southeastern edge of the distribution of the mammoth steppe biome. In the present study, we undertook radiocarbon dating, zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS), and stable isotope analysis on the fossil faunas from Yanjiagang Paleolithic site, Northeast (NE) China, and from the Geographical Society Cave in the nearby Russian Far East, to explore the paleoecology of this fauna in this middle-latitude region. Isotopic (δ13C, δ15N) data from these two sites suggested that the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) was a grazer feeding on grasses/sedges, while the woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) and steppe bison (Bison priscus) utilized a wider range of food resources. All megaherbivores exhibited some ecological plasticity. Meanwhile, the mammal remains from Geographical Society Cave prevalently exhibited lower δ15N values than those from China, indicating variable environments and vegetation in Northeast Asia during MIS 3. Interestingly, through reevaluating the diachronic mammal distribution and ecology based on direct radiocarbon dating and ZooMS, we report the credible presence of Bubalus, typically interpreted as a mild climate faunal element in the Pleistocene, within the Mammuthus-Coelodonta Faunal Complex in Yanjiagang. This emphasizes the unique scenario of this biome in Northeast Asia, where the fauna exhibited sensitivity to synergic effects of climatic oscillations and local geographic traits. After comparing isotopic data of mammoth from different subregions of Asia, we found that NE China displayed both highest δ13C and δ15N values, possibly related to the higher temperature compared to the Arctic regions. This study reveals the characteristics and complexity at the southeastern limit of the range of the mammoth steppe biome and urges more systematic studies within and outside this region.

Progress in the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in the Western Pacific Region: successes and challenges.

The Western Pacific Region is the largest and most diverse region in the world, made up of 37 countries and territories in the Pacific, Oceania and parts of Asia, with a population of more than 1.9 billion people stretching over an area from China and Mongolia in the north to New Zealand in the south. In 1999, 22 countries and territories in the Pacific joined together and launched the Pacific Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis. Shortly after, the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis was launched in 2000. In 2004, 12 countries in the Asia subregion of the Western Pacific Region and Southeast Asian Region joined and developed the Mekong-Plus Strategic Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis. Since then, significant efforts have been made by all endemic countries, with annual mass drug administration (MDA) as a principal strategy, through strong partnership with the WHO and other donors and partners. As a result, by the end of 2019, 10 of 22 endemic countries in the region, including 8 of 16 countries in the Pacific and 2 countries in the Asia subregion, achieved WHO validation for elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem. All the other countries are either progressing with post-MDA surveillance or accelerating efforts by adoption of the new triple drug therapy strategy and enhancement of MDA campaigns to tackle persistent transmission. Some 85% of the originally endemic implementation units have stopped MDA and the number of people requiring MDA for LF in the Western Pacific Region was reduced by 72% from 2000 to 2018. This paper reviews the progress, key success factors and remaining challenges and indicates the way forward to achieve LF elimination in the Western Pacific Region.

Bias Correction and Ensemble Projections of Temperature Changes over Ten Subregions in CORDEX East Asia

Regional climate models (RCMs) participating in the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) have been widely used for providing detailed climate change information for specific regions under different emissions scenarios. This study assesses the effects of three common bias correction methods and two multi-model averaging methods in calibrating historical (1980−2005) temperature simulations over East Asia. Future (2006−49) temperature trends under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios are projected based on the optimal bias correction and ensemble averaging method. Results show the following: (1) The driving global climate model and RCMs can capture the spatial pattern of annual average temperature but with cold biases over most regions, especially in the Tibetan Plateau region. (2) All bias correction methods can significantly reduce the simulation biases. The quantile mapping method outperforms other bias correction methods in all RCMs, with a maximum relative decrease in root-mean-square error for five RCMs reaching 59.8% (HadGEM3-RA), 63.2% (MM5), 51.3% (RegCM), 80.7% (YSU-RCM) and 62.0% (WRF). (3) The Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method outperforms the simple multi-model averaging (SMA) method in narrowing the uncertainty of bias-corrected results. For the spatial correlation coefficient, the improvement rate of the BMA method ranges from 2% to 31% over the 10 subregions, when compared with individual RCMs. (4) For temperature projections, the warming is significant, ranging from 1.2°C to 3.5°C across the whole domain under the RCP8.5 scenario. (5) The quantile mapping method reduces the uncertainty over all subregions by between 66% and 94%.

Economic Integration Stages Clarification of the Countries in Electricity Trade

The article analyzes regional energy cooperation in sub-regions of Asia with a detailed study of South Asia and the CIS. The aim is to develop the theory of energy markets integration by adding an element of mutual trade to it. The study is based on statistics data of electricity exports by sub-regions of Eurasia based on the information of bilateral exports. The level of regional economic integration was estimated by the “export share” indicator, as well as by graph theory methods. Four out of nine countries in the South Asian region are not yet included in energy trade. This fact does not allow to speak about the success of the efforts undertaken by international organizations in the subregion as a whole. The results of the network analysis show that the relations between the countries of the region are fragmented, the problem of South Asian countries integration in the field of electricity trade is far from a solution. In the CIS, only 10% of electricity is traded within the region. There are two clusters of countries in the subregion. The countries of the larger cluster are connected through trade with the rest of the world. The countries of the second cluster — Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan — are interconnected, but not with Russia, being the beneficiaries of the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Program. Thus, the prevailing architecture of regional ties may indicate small integration created by the efforts of an international organization in the region. The CIS region meets the description of the energy markets' integration level as being between “interconnection” and “shallow”. To characterize the integration level, we recommend examining the graph connectivity, centrality indicators, and the number and size of clusters. Russia's efforts in the area of electricity trade in Asia are examined in four aspects. Development assistance is inadequate, and membership in the Asian Development Bank is likely to become a pressing issue. Cooperation with the CIS countries leaves aside two countries of the post-Soviet space, it is not able to attract four more countries of Central Asia to cooperate. Cooperation within the EAEU is insufficient for Belarus and Armenia, therefore, the creation of a single electric energy market by 2025 is an urgent task.

Dynamics of Plasmodium vivax populations in border areas of the Greater Mekong sub-region during malaria elimination

BackgroundCountries within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) of Southeast Asia have committed to eliminating malaria by 2030. Although the malaria situation has greatly improved, malaria transmission remains at international border regions. In some areas, Plasmodium vivax has become the predominant parasite. To gain a better understanding of transmission dynamics, knowledge on the changes of P. vivax populations after the scale-up of control interventions will guide more effective targeted control efforts.MethodsThis study investigated genetic diversity and population structures in 206 P. vivax clinical samples collected at two time points in two international border areas: the China-Myanmar border (CMB) (n = 50 in 2004 and n = 52 in 2016) and Thailand-Myanmar border (TMB) (n = 50 in 2012 and n = 54 in 2015). Parasites were genotyped using 10 microsatellite markers.ResultsDespite intensified control efforts, genetic diversity remained high (HE = 0.66–0.86) and was not significantly different among the four populations (P > 0.05). Specifically, HE slightly decreased from 0.76 in 2004 to 0.66 in 2016 at the CMB and increased from 0.80 in 2012 to 0.86 in 2015 at the TMB. The proportions of polyclonal infections varied significantly among the four populations (P < 0.05), and showed substantial decreases from 48.0% in 2004 to 23.7 at the CMB and from 40.0% in 2012 to 30.7% in 2015 at the TMB, with corresponding decreases in the multiplicity of infection. Consistent with the continuous decline of malaria incidence in the GMS over time, there were also increases in multilocus linkage disequilibrium, suggesting more fragmented and increasingly inbred parasite populations. There were considerable genetic differentiation and sub-division among the four tested populations. Temporal genetic differentiation was observed at each site (FST = 0.081 at the CMB and FST = 0.133 at the TMB). Various degrees of clustering were evident between the older parasite samples collected in 2004 at the CMB and the 2016 CMB and 2012 TMB populations, suggesting some of these parasites had shared ancestry. In contrast, the 2015 TMB population was genetically distinctive, which may reflect a process of population replacement. Whereas the effective population size (Ne) at the CMB showed a decrease from 4979 in 2004 to 3052 in 2016 with the infinite allele model, the Ne at the TMB experienced an increase from 6289 to 10,259.ConclusionsWith enhanced control efforts on malaria, P. vivax at the TMB and CMB showed considerable spatial and temporal differentiation, but the presence of large P. vivax reservoirs still sustained genetic diversity and transmission. These findings provide new insights into P. vivax transmission dynamics and population structure in these border areas of the GMS. Coordinated and integrated control efforts on both sides of international borders are essential to reach the goal of regional malaria elimination.

Energy Market Integration in Northeast Region of India: Efficiencies, Vulnerabilities and Strategic Implications for Asia

Energy is a common thread that connects multiple economic domains of countries and sub-regions in Asia. In the drive to trigger and consolidate energy market integration, the North Eastern Region (NER) of India offers great potential as electricity trading hub. This article analyses multiple potentials of energy markers of NER with neighbouring countries through cross-border trade. Supply and demand analysis under different connectivity scenarios shows that not only the eight states of NER of India may be able to fully utilise the economic benefits of energy market integration, but also the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar should keep their carbon emissions in check by importing reliable cost effective energy sources. However, lack of infrastructure for the transfer of power to a common transmission system increases the vulnerability of energy market integration. Given the region’s diverse hydro-geography and wide range of clean energy portfolios, energy market integration perspective offers a way forward for strategic energy security planning and climate mitigation strategy for NER and neighbouring Asian countries.

Politics of Economic Corridors in South Asia

Rise of Asia has necessitated the greater interconnection and economic integration around the globe. The scope of development is not limited to a nation or a particular region only, in fact, it is taking place across nations as well as regions and sub-regions in Asia. The concept of ‘Economic Corridor’ is used to explain this phenomenon of connectivity. Economic corridors work as a catalyst for regional integration and a driver for inclusive growth by bringing underdeveloped regions into the upward growth trajectory. South Asia is characterised with booming economic growth while economic corridors are playing the role of a catalyst for regional and economic integration. However, such corridors are also creating many political challenges in the region. Hostility among the regional states is a critical factor. In this background, this paper analyses the shaping of economic corridors along regional transport routes and tries to address this question as to how industrial expansion and assortment can bring vibrant change in the region. Moreover, the role of economic corridors is being discussed as a key factor for regional integration in South Asia. The paper also addresses the key political challenges in the implementation of these networks. While discussing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIMEC) are the main focus of this paper.&#x0D;

Revisiting the potential security threats linked with the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

ABSTRACTThis study confirms the proposed positive outcomes associated with the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) due to Gwadar Port development in Pakistan. In addition, the study provides an insight into the challenges and threats regarding the CPEC and proposes policy implications to improve the situation in Pakistan. The CPEC is a comprehensive development agreement that not only establishes economic and strategic connectivity between China and Pakistan but also has the potential of integrating other subregions of Asia that could play a key role in improving the area’s economic and strategic environment. This article highlights the future scenario of energy transactions for both China and Pakistan and looks at how Gwadar Port can revive the economy of Pakistan under the fast-growing mutual interdependence between the two countries. This connectivity will greatly impact the economy of Pakistan as China invests huge sums of capital in terms of investment and transfer of technology in building mega projects over a long period of time. Based on the literature review, the article also investigates the vital role that Gwadar Port is expected to play in the regional economic integration of South and Central Asia.

Economic and Social Rights

No longer the poor cousin of civil rights, socio-economic rights have steadily found a place in constitutions and jurisprudence across the world. Asia represents, however, a paradox in this development. While the sub-region of South Asia was the site of many early social rights adjudication experiments, East and South-East Asia are only outmatched by Arab States in their reluctance to recognize and judicialize socio-economic rights (and even the right to property). Fitting seamlessly with the region’s embedded mercantilist model of capitalism, it is the most conservative region in the world when it comes to core rights in the workplace – such as the right to strike or fair wage. Courts are held generally on a tight constitutional leash with limited recognition of the judiciary’s competence to enforce socio-economic rights and judges have been less willing than their South Asian counterparts to break constitutional lines. While some features are consistent across the entire region, such as hostility to international oversight of socio-economic rights, there is significant variation in terms of ESR entrenchment and interpretation. In this chapter, we analyze the macro patterns of constitutional recognition and judicial posture across the region (mostly with the help of the TIESR database) and some of the key patterns and puzzles in constitutional enforcement across the region. We conclude with some reflections on the impact of constitutionalising ESR rights in the region in light of the existing empirical evidence.

The role of scale within an Ecosystem Approach to fisheries management: Policy and practice in Southeast Asian seas

Primary considerations for adopting an ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) as a management approach will involve an expanded scope of fisheries management over conventional approaches; specifically, EAFM will involve a broader scale of management. Development of a sub-regional EAFM plan can complement local, national, and regional fisheries management priorities, as well as help to catalyze management action at multiple levels that may not otherwise occur. A sub-regional EAFM policy planning approach has been undertaken for the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape (SSS), a sub-region of Southeast Asia. This sub-regional policy planning approach illustrates how “scaling up” EAFM can support relevant international, regional, and other sub-regional fisheries management plans and environmental initiatives, while “scaling down” EAF can support relevant national, provincial/state, and local fisheries management plans in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The Belt and Road: Geographical pattern and regional risks

Building the Belt and Road is initiatives of China to promote win-win international cooperation in the new era, aiming at green, health, intellect and peace and the joint development with people of the countries along the route. Systematic analysis on environmental characteristics, evolutionary tendency and future risks are certainly the scientific fundamentals of sustainable development for the Belt and Road construction. Applied remote sensing monitoring, statistical analysis, this paper investigates the regional characteristics of climate, topography, soil, hydrology, vegetation cover and terrestrial ecosystems production, as well as socio-economic conditions. Based on the regional characteristics, the Belt and Road is divided into 9 sub-regions: Central and Eastern Europe sub-region with cold and humid climate, Mongolia and Russia sub-region with cold and arid climate, Central and West Asia arid sub-region, Southeast Asia sub-region with warm and humid climate, Pakistan arid sub-region, Bangladesh-India-Myanmar sub-region with warm and humid climate, Eastern China monsoon sub-region, Northwest China arid sub-region and Tibetan Plateau sub-region. Combining modeling simulation with scenario projections, natural disaster assessment methodology is used to assess the risk of extreme events including heat waves, droughts and floods in the coming 30 years (2021–2050). Results show that, on the basis of the regional framework, the western Eurasia would be a warming trend; both sides of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in high temperature and heat waves risk; Central and Eastern Europe sub-region with cold and humid climate in high drought risk; Bangladesh-India-Myanmar sub-region with warm and humid climate as well as Eastern China in high risk of flooding.

INDONESIA AND ASEAN IN 2025

This essay is motivated by an interest in a particular aspect of Indonesian foreign policy. Indonesia�s foreign policy has been called upon to serve the goals of national development. The national development takes place within a regional and global environment. Indonesia�s most immediate environment is the sub-region of Southeast Asia, and for that reason the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which remains the cornerstone of Indonesian foreign policy.&#x0D; ASEAN Community is a continuing process. It will continue to promote the expansion and then deepening of the implementation of ASEAN Community Blueprints beyond 2015. ASEAN Community Vision 2025 was approved and signed at ASEAN Summit Meeting, 21 � 22 November 2015 in Kualalumpur, Malaysia. In the mean time for Indonesia itself, there are some impediments in the implementation of Indonesia�s maritime nexus will continue to hedge against the ASEAN Economic Community as well as the major powers interests, especially with RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership led by ASEAN but heavily influence by China and the Trans Pacific Partnership that once led by the United States of America and seems abandon in Donald Trump era.&#x0D; The study reveals that he strategic implication of the above possible development appeals the need of new approaches to Indonesia. Some basic assumptions can be derived from the foregoing examination of Indonesian foreign policy concepts, a changing Asian strategic environment, and uncertainties of interdependence. It may be reasonable to assume that Indonesia has the capability to increasingly strengthen linkages among defense, security, and foreign policy aspects which leads to an adequate Indonesian national security policy.

Solar quiet (Sq) and conductivity-depth structure of Asia sub-region using solar quiet field variation

The study used some selected magnetic field records to establish the equivalent external and internal ionospheric current system for the moderate solar quiet year 2012. The month-by-month behaviour of the equivalent current for both external and internal current appears stronger in local summer months (May-August) and weaker in local winter months (November-February). The current vortex appears earlier in local summer than in local winter months and disappeared in December. In each of the month, the latitudinal position of the internal Sq current vortex appeared at a considerable higher latitude than the external. A regression line fitted to the estimated conductivity values gives a profile that starts at 0.02 S/m at a depth of about 30 km and rose gradually to about 0.03 S/m seen at ∼120 km depth. Consequently the conductivity profile increases significantly to about 0.07 S/m at depth of about 400 km followed by a sharp steep increase through the transition zone and reached its peak value ∼0.3 S/m at depth of about 770 km. An evidence of discontinuity was observed at depth of about 370-440 km and 603-671 km. The sharp steep increase in conductivity profile at depth of about 400 km may be due to phase change of the mantle minerals from olivine to spinel structure.

Cooperation between China and Romania under Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract China’s greatest international economic aspiration is the “Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI), to stimulate economic corporation in a wide region including sub regions in Asia, Africa and Europe. This paper does researches for the cooperation between China and Romania at the background of BRI. It shows a short introduction of BRI and analyses import and export trade data included China with Europe, Europe Union and Romania to make a prediction about future development. It makes a comparison to different countries in BRI by Belt and Road Index (BARI). We will analyze Romanian basic economic situation, main factors about BARI and potential risks.

The relationship between environment and logistics performance: Evidence from Asian countries

Logistics performance plays an important role in green supply chain management that leads to environmental sustainability. The objective of this paper is to analyze the nexus between logistics performance and environmental degradation using data obtained from 42 Asian countries between 2007 and 2016. The system-generalized method of moment (GMM) regression model was used to investigate the data from Asian countries collectively and the four sub-regions of Asia. The estimates show that the logistics performance is significantly related to environmental degradation. International shipment in logistics performance index (LPI) significantly decreases CO2 emissions while timeliness of logistics significantly intensifies the CO2 emissions in Asian countries. Other sub-categories in LPI such as tracking and tracing, services quality and competence, infrastructure quality, and efficiency of customs also have a significant impact on the environment in different sub-regions of Asia. Industrialization and urbanization both increase CO2 emissions in Asian countries while trade openness decreases CO2 emissions. The results indicate a significant association between logistics performance and environment that accentuates the priorities on environmental sustainability and green supply chain management in Asian countries.