United Front Research Articles

Tasks of Preventive Diplomacy to Prevent the Unleashing of a New World Conflict

The topic of preventive diplomacy and its tasks to prevent the outbreak of new world conflicts is very important and relevant. This is stated by the author of the article, the famous Russian (Soviet) diplomat and statesman G. L. Muradov, as Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea and a member of the Government Commission of the Russian Federation on the Aff airs of Compatriots. He emphasizes that the growth of aggressive sentiments in the countries of the collective West, acting as a united front against Russia, accusing our country of all "mortal sins" for and without reason, has reached frightening proportions.

Legitimacy in conflict contexts: shifting rebel engagement in Sierra Leone and the presence of private contractors

ABSTRACT The growth of non-state actors has significantly changed the nature of conflict. While rebel groups are a persistently destabilizing force, private military and security companies (PMSCs) also increasingly enter conflict spaces on behalf of a variety of actors, including states seeking to suppress insurgencies. This case study of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) during Sierra Leone’s civil war between 1991 and 2002 contributes to emerging work on rebel behavior by examining how rebel’s legitimacy seeking tactics evolve when PMSCs enter a conflict context. I explore the ways that PMSCs can shift insurgents’ interpretations of and engagements with legitimacy during conflict, thus fostering opportunities for shifts in rebel behavior. In Sierra Leone, PMSCs providing combat services which credibly threatened the RUF’s survival and status shifted incentive structures around legitimacy, providing the RUF the opportunity to engage in moral legitimacy-seeking tactics and alternative forms of pragmatic legitimacy, emerging in the form of both coercive and cooperative control over civilian’s lives. While restricting some avenues of pragmatic legitimacy, this also engendered opportunities for substitution.

The Anti-Japanese Armed Forces of Mongolian Nationality: The Development of the New Third Division

During the Anti-Japanese War, as a Mongolian anti-Japanese armed army established with the help of the Simon Working Committee of the Communist Party of China, the newly organized Third Division played a key role in Suiyuan and Ikchao League. In the Bailingmiao Uprising, Suiyuan Resistance War and Ikchao League Resistance War, the newly formed third Division of the National Revolutionary Army promoted the Anti-Japanese War situation in Inner Mongolia to deepen. As a member of the Mongolian Communist Party, Ulanfu led the united front and political work in the New three Divisions, and promoted the development of the united front work of the Communist Party of China in the Ikchao League and Suiyuan area. The experience of the United front of the new three divisions has important implications for the Communist Party of China in dealing with the relations between minority armies.

‘My enemy’s enemy is my friend’? European radical left parties’ response to Russia’s war in Ukraine

The 2022 Russian (re)invasion of Ukraine highlights the need to understand better how European parties react towards aggressions by anti-liberal authoritarian states. In this article, we focus on the still relatively understudied yet crucial case of the radical left. Since our initial quantitative overview shows that there is no united front on positions of radical left parties towards Russia’s actions, we argue for the necessity of a deeper analysis of radical left strategies. A similar empirical analysis, however, is lacking. To fill this gap, we provide a qualitative content analysis of the reactions to Russia’s 2022 aggression on Ukraine from different ideological sub-types of radical left parties from the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland and Portugal. We conclude that there is a clear heterogeneity in the way the radical left approaches the invasion of Ukraine, which, albeit not perfectly, corresponds with ideological and strategic sub-types within the party family. Therefore, it makes little sense to regard the party family as a whole as ‘pro-Russian’. The findings invite further comparative studies on varying reactions to Russia’s aggressions within and across particular party families.

"China and Russia Strengthen Strategic Alliance: A United Front over U.S. Dominance"

If Russia does not swiftly enact democratic reforms, China and Russia will continue to battle for dominance of the world order for the next ten years. It is anticipated that it will involve the Global South and turn into a confrontation between the forces attempting to preserve the status quo. Leading the effort to overthrow the US-centered current order are China and Russia. It is expected that the result will be known with certainty once both teams have increased their level of competition. Rather, as the argument rages on, feelings will most likely begin to show. Effective competition management is essential for both parties to prevent destabilising factors such as inadvertent confrontations and unanticipated escalation. Whether or not China can be prevented from using force to alter the status quo unilaterally will be the primary element determining how the battle for international order plays out in the future.

Non-linear filtration model with splitting front

We consider filtration of a suspension in a homogeneous porous medium which is described by a macroscopic 1-D model including the mass exchange equation and the kinetic equation for deposit growth. The standard model assumes that suspended particles move at the same speed as the carrier fluid. However, in some experiments, a lag between the front boundary of suspended particles and the front of the carrier fluid was observed. This article proposes a modification of the standard model that provides a description of the separation between the fluid front and the particle front. For this purpose, a non-smooth non-linear function depending on the concentration of the suspension is introduced into the deposit growth equation. In case of a non-smooth suspension function, the concentration of suspended particles at the front decreases to zero in a finite time. At this moment the united front splits into the front of pure injected water and the front of suspended and retained particles. The particle front moves slower than the pure water front. In case of a linear filtration function (Langmuir coefficient), an exact solution is constructed in a closed form. For the filtration problem with a suspension function in the form of a square root, explicit analytical formulae are obtained. In case of a non-smooth filtration function, the filtration time is finite. The curvilinear boundary separates the filtration domain, where concentrations increase with time, from the stabilization domain, where the concentrations of suspended and retained particles have reached their limits. The limit speeds of the stabilization border and of the particle front coincide.

China’s Taiwan integration policy: The limitations of top-level design in the Xi era

Under Xi Jinping’s leadership, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has undergone a significant shift in its approach toward Taiwan, moving from a strategy characterized by economic concessions to one focusing on integration. Xi’s new strategic approach for the state’s united front work vis-a-vis Taiwan is characterized as ‘top-level design’ which divides such work vertically. The central government is responsible for developing policies and appointing competent functional agencies to collaborate with the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office on implementing China’s Taiwan policy while local governments are tasked with implementation. The CCP has designated Fujian Province an experimental site for policy trials towards realizing its Taiwan integration policy. Accordingly, this article examines the effectiveness of these united front operations in Fujian. Despite the provincial government’s diverse initiatives and substantial resources, implementation outcomes have fallen short of expectations. This study’s most salient finding indicates that, within the CCP’s top-level design framework, provincial officials lack both the willingness and capacity to implement policies on Taiwan. The incentive structure designed for government officials fails to motivate them, while their newly delimited authorization constrains them.

Impact of the Balkan Wars (1912/13) on the Societies in South Slavic Lands of Austria-Hungary

This paper discusses the immediate consequences that the Balkan Wars (1912-1913) had on the societies in the South Slavic lands of Austria-Hungary. It represents an attempt to summarize the previous results of research on various issues related to the consequences of the Balkan Wars in these lands individually. The focus was on finding common characteristics, as well as peculiarities regarding the impact of the wars on societies in the Slavic south of the Monarchy. In this sense, the focus of attention was on the national question, the political scene, the way of governing, and the economy. It stands out that the Balkan Wars were the spark that ignited the flame of nationalism in the south of the Monarchy, within the framework of the Yugoslav question. Foreshadowing a new era, these wars were for some an indication of the inevitability of reforming the Monarchy in a direction that would ensure a more favourable position for its Yugoslavs, and for others even an indication of its imminent destruction and Yugoslav unification on a broader basis. At the same time, the wars caused new or deepened existing crises in the lands to the south of the Monarchy, serving as an excuse for its authorities to introduce emergency measures or tighten existing restrictions. While in most of the South Slavic lands, the Austro-Hungarian government faced the united front of those forces that openly expressed their support for the Balkan allies, in Bosnia it greatly benefited from the growing political rift between the two dominant national communities and their political representatives. The wars left negative economic consequences in all lands, and by creating new circumstances, they enabled a different approach to solving the agrarian issue in Bosnia.

Defending heroic soldiers at the United Nations Human Rights Council: shame, honour, and sovereign masculinity

AbstractHuman rights activists worldwide rely heavily on naming and shaming rights‐abusing states at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to induce them to comply with international human rights norms. However, what about national‐level actors who seek to shame a government for complying with human rights? This article explores how Sinhala Buddhist ethnonationalist political leaders and ideologues in Sri Lanka invoked the trope of sovereignty as both autonomy and masculinity to shame the new United Front government (2015‐19) and its UN‐supported transitional justice programme designed to address war crimes committed by the state during the last phase of the civil war. In so doing, I draw on and contribute to the literature on shame and global governance and feminist and critical scholarship on sovereignty and masculinity. Moreover, this analysis contends that it is not possible to understand the logic and efficacy of these tropes in postwar Sri Lanka unless we consider the emergence of a hegemonic, anti‐Western, patriotic masculinity and a new idiom of honour that supplements the concept of lajja‐baya (shame and fear of shame) – a central category in the anthropological canon of Sri Lanka.

Psychological, physical, and social capitals: A balanced approach for more effective human capital in today’s organizations and life

In this article, we propose a comprehensive and integrated approach for recognizing, managing, developing, and leveraging positive human capital for successful outcomes in a variety of organizational and life domains. We call this conceptual framework the Balanced Positive Human Capital Equation. With the ultimate goal of obtaining “The Good Life,” the first part of our simply called HumCap equation consists of Psychological Capital (i.e., PsyCap). The positive psychological resources which comprise one’s PsyCap have after 20 years of evidence been clearly determined to be Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism (i.e. “the HERO within”). The second part of our proposed HumCap equation includes Physical Capital (i.e., PhyCap). Some important dimensions of this PhyCap we suggest should include Mindfulness, Exercise, Nutrition, and Deep Breathing (i.e., “MEND your health”). The final pillar of this balanced approach to HumCap we propose includes Social Capital (SocCap). As established drivers of well-being and performance, we focus on the recognized important SocCap resources of Faith, Relationships/Networks, Organizational Culture, Noncognitive Empathy, and Teams/Communities (i.e., provide “A united FRONT”). We propose that these three positive psychological, physical, and social capital resources are interactive and when combined and, especially in balance, research and practice will support synergistic, desirable results. In constant pursuit of “The Good Life,” it is hoped the conceptual framework proposed in this article will provide a guide for developing stronger and more balanced human capital that is optimally suited to meet life’s worthwhile pursuits and wellness outcomes.

Коминтерн и попытка организации Народного Фронта в Перу в 1934–1936 гг.

The VII World Congress of the Comintern 1935 led to a sharp change in the tactics and strategy of the international communist movement and to a transition from radical “class against class” tactics to the formation of broad united anti-fascist fronts. In the period 1935-1939, the policy of “popu-lar fronts,” which consisted of building political alliances be-tween left-wing parties and organizations to fight the right, was implemented in many countries. In Latin America, where this tactic was implemented even before the VII Congress of the Comintern, “popular fronts” became widespread, some-times playing a significant role in the history of their coun-tries. Historiography covers in detail the history of the estab-lishing of alliances in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Cuba, etc. How-ever, the history of the organization of the “popular front” in Peru is less covered, although this story is interesting in that it largely reflects the problems that faced the sections of the Comintern. An attempt to form a "popular front" in Peru in 1934-1935, primarily based on the creation of an alliance be-tween the Communist Party of Peru (the CPP) and the Ameri-can Popular Revolutionary Alliance (the APRA) to participate in the 1936 elections, failed. There were several reasons for this: from the personal hostility of the APRA leader V.R. Haya de la Torre to the leader of the CPP E. Ravines before the policy that the CPP implemented according to the direc-tives of the Comintern during the period of “class against class” tactics in 1930-1933.

Innovation and Development of United Front Work for Returnee Students in the New Era: A Comparative Study of Six Universities in Nanjing

Innovation and Development of United Front Work for Returnee Students in the New Era: A Comparative Study of Six Universities in Nanjing

Research on the Strategic Path of Veterinary Medicine Serving Rural Revitalization in Agriculture-Related Universities

Local agriculture-related universities must have certain regional advantages, advantages of agricultural characteristics, human resources, and science and technology in the process of implementing the rural revitalization strategy. Using literature research and investigation methods, combined with the experience of colleges and universities, the veterinary discipline of rural science and technology correspondent and technology yard, this study discusses our veterinary discipline in education teaching practice and talent training mode innovation, improving the quality of talent training and study on the strategic path of united front service for rural revitalization.

Building a United Front: Radiation Oncologists as Collaborative Partners, Not Competitors, to Medical Oncologists

Building a United Front: Radiation Oncologists as Collaborative Partners, Not Competitors, to Medical Oncologists

Fake Product Identification in E-Commerce Platform using Blockchain Technology

The proposed fake product identification system employs blockchain technology to address the escalating issues of counterfeit goods. Utilizing a decentralized ledger, each product is assigned a unique identifier recorded on the blockchain, which includes important manufacturing details and origin information. Smart contracts streamline the verification process by executing predefined rules to confirm product authenticity. Integration with supply chain systems ensures real-time tracking, enabling consumers to trace a product’s journey from production to sale. Utilizing QR codes consumers gain direct access to blockchain records, empowering them to make informed purchasing decisions. The system’s decentralized nature ensures information immutability, providing a tamper proof solution for product authentication. Collaboration among stakeholders within the blockchain network creates a united front against counterfeiters, fostering a shared responsibility for maintaining supply chain integrity. This globally accessibly solution transcends borders, enhancing international cooperation in combatting counterfeit products and preserving brand credibility.

CHINESE SCHOLARLY PERSPECTIVES ON THE US-PROMOTED “INDO-PACIFIC” CONCEPT AND STRATEGY

This article examines the ways that China-based scholars interpret the US-promoted concept of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ and the strategy and policy advice they advance on how Beijing should engage with it. The article finds the Chinese discourse to be realist in outlook and invariably pessimistic. As such, it mirrors the debate in the West. Of considerable concern to Chinese interests is the potential impediment of China’s economic access to Southeast Asia, jeopardizing Xi Jinping’s Belt & Road Initiative. In addition, the Biden administration’s rallying tool of ‘ideology’ – liberal values – and its diplomatic ‘club strategy’ are judged as rather effective in swaying countries to the US side. Militarily, the projected danger of a ‘NATOization’ of the region stands out, suggesting significant fears that European and Indo-Pacific ‘vassals’ of the US could form a bloc against China. Most revealing is the open discussion of ‘united front’ divide-and-rule tactics, and the advocacy of ‘moderate pressure’ vis-à-vis weaker states.

“Fascism Can Only Grow in Secrecy”: Greek and Yugoslavian Anti-Fascism in Melbourne’s “Long 1960s”

Studies of post-war anti-fascism in Australia have recently generated new insights into the continuities and transformations of post-war fascist and anti-fascist organisations. However, despite this upsurge in scholarship, the 1960s remain neglected. This article revises this absence through a case study of the Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Greece (CRDG), the Yugoslav Settlers’ Organisation (YSA), and its successor, The Committee for Democracy in Australia (CDA). It draws on press reports, left-wing publications, and security files to suggest the anti-fascisms of Melbourne in the 1960s were influenced by a parallel politics of anti-imperialism. It shows how both organisations were influenced by the historical experience of resisting fascism, particularly the concept of a “united front” that facilitated a pan-left struggle against fascism and wider systems of oppression and domination. In doing so, this article contributes to the growing historiography on varieties of anti-fascism and their overlap with related emancipation movements.

A Study on the Construction of Cultural Identity of Chinese Students Studying Abroad under the "Belt and Road" Initiative

The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, a centennial plan, are significantly displaying Chinese civilization worldwide. The dissemination of civilization is merely a process, while the recognition of civilization enables the world to breathe in unison with China, share a common destiny, and connect hearts and minds. The alignment of people's hearts and minds is achieved through righteousness and justice. In this context, how to promote China and gain global recognition is one of the core tasks of China's diplomacy, united front work, and the long-term implementation of the Belt and Road strategy. International students coming to China for study are an important force in spreading Chinese civilization, values, and the Chinese model to the outside world. While imparting scientific and cultural knowledge, schools need to conduct implicit cultural education to establish correct values and worldviews. It is essential to cultivate international students' recognition of Chinese culture, Chinese territory, and the path of development with Chinese characteristics. The aim is to ignite a spark that can start a prairie fire, laying a foundation for building a friendship of "long-term coexistence, mutual supervision, mutual trust, and shared honor and disgrace" between China and the world in the future.

Reforming the common security and defense policy in the long term, considering the threat from Russia

This article analyzes the need to reform the Common Security and Defense Policy of the European Union in the long term, with a particular focus on the threat, posed by the russian federation. The growth of russia's aggressiveness and foreign policy ambitions creates the need to strengthen and adapt the security and defense policy of the European Union. A number of decisions, adopted by the European Union as a countermeasure to russian aggression against Ukraine, are analyzed. The article also examines the reasons that led to the need for institutional reform and key aspects of it, including the strengthening of the Union's military capabilities, the development of the cyber security sector and the expansion of cyber defense infrastructure, ensuring an increase in joint financing of the defense sector and cooperation with strategic partners. The importance and necessity of political unity and joint action among the member states of the European Union, strengthening of defense capabilities, defense cooperation, improvement of crisis management mechanisms and provision of mutual assistance between member states for effective response to threats from russia were emphasized. The article calls for intensive cooperation and coordination between the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as for strengthening external partnerships with countries that share common values and have common security interests in the implementation of joint projects and programs in the field of security and defense to ensure stability and security in the region. Reforming the Common Security and Defense Policy is a key factor in ensuring Europe's collective security in the medium and long term, taking into account the needs and challenges of the modern geopolitical environment, and through joint action, the European Union can act as a united front in security solutions and international cooperation

AFP Intelligence Community’s Strategic Risk Management Process in Response to External Aggression

In the ever-changing global security landscape, characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), this study serves as a capstone project to provide valuable insights to the AFP Intelligence Community (AFPIC). Its primary focus is to effectively tackle the exceptional non-military security threats a foreign adversary poses. China’s rapid and significant ascent as an Asian hegemon and a global superpower has driven its pursuit of resources and influence worldwide. These hegemonic actions have not only elicited resentment from smaller and weaker nations adversely affected by them but also drawn the ire of the United States and its allies. The Philippines, strategically located in the South China Sea and the Pacific region, has become a prime target of China’s unconventional warfare strategy, where they seek to subdue their adversaries without resorting to kinetic force. China’s United Front Works (UFW) strategy is a crucial element of its hybrid warfare approach, providing a platform for intelligence, influence, and interference operations designed to systematically undermine its enemies. This study aims to describe the current state of the AFPIC’s risk management capabilities in terms of doctrines, organization, and training concerning the security threats posed by China’s UFW. It also seeks to identify the challenges in these areas and propose appropriate solutions to address them. Overall, the objective of this study is to contribute to the long-term endeavor of enhancing the AFPIC’s doctrines, organization, and training to effectively address the threats posed by China’s UFW and other hybrid security threats. The qualitative data gathered through document analysis, key informant interviews, and focused group discussions involving multiple participants from various units and offices within the AFPIC and the AFP Triad, as well as education and doctrine development circles, underwent an iterative and hybrid process of thematic and content analysis. Tools such as SWOT, TOWS, and the causal-impact analytical tool were utilized during this analytical process. The results of this analysis provided valuable insights into the current state of AFPIC’s risk management capability in terms of doctrine, organization, and training, highlighting both the advantages and disadvantages within these areas. Further exploration revealed the primary challenges present in these three domains, which encompassed internal and external dynamics that hindered the optimal implementation of related initiatives. Subsequently, numerous recommendations were formulated to enhance the AFPIC’s doctrine, organization, and training capabilities in response to the exceptional security threats posed by China’s united front works. Central to the research findings were three crucial factors that influenced the success or failure of the doctrinal, organizational, and training endeavors: the support of advocates and champions, the role of knowledge management, and the significance of engaging foreign stakeholders. Keywords: Armed Forces of the Philippines, Intelligence, Risk Management, United Front Works, National Security, hybrid security threats, unconventional warfare, political warfare