Hasil untuk "Asia and Eurasia, Africa, Pacific Area, and Antarctica"

Jinwon Lee, Jaeseok Cho, Moonyoung Kim

How does China strategically allocate foreign aid to increase its influence on South China Sea disputes? We posit that China uses foreign aid as a tool of strategic appeasement to manage militarized interstate disputes, particularly targeting claimant states with smaller winning coalitions that are more susceptible to aid influence. The results of our empirical analysis show that China is more likely to allocate aid to the ASEAN SCS claimants with a smaller winning coalition. These findings not only support the notion of foreign aid as a strategic tool employed by China to mitigate tensions in the South China Sea but also highlight the vulnerability of certain recipient states. This article contributes to the foreign assistance and conflict literature by examining the conditionality of claimant donors’ decisions to provide foreign aid to other claimant recipients.

Junichi Hasegawa

Abstract The landscape of the Meiji Jingu Gaien area of Tokyo is famous; it has a gingko-lined avenue and various sports facilities, including national stadiums and facilities used by ordinary citizens. The large-scale redevelopment of this area has been planned and implemented on the basis of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s district plan in 2013 in the wake of Tokyo’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games. This paper examines the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s actions since the formation of this plan, mainly on the basis of the Metropolitan Government’s official documents and Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly minutes and considers their implications.

Walter C. Clemens

Vikram Kulothungan, Deepti Gupta

Artificial intelligence (AI) trends vary significantly across global regions, shaping the trajectory of innovation, regulation, and societal impact. This variation influences how different regions approach AI development, balancing technological progress with ethical and regulatory considerations. This study conducts a comparative analysis of AI trends in the United States (US), the European Union (EU), and Asia, focusing on three key dimensions: generative AI, ethical oversight, and industrial applications. The US prioritizes market-driven innovation with minimal regulatory constraints, the EU enforces a precautionary risk-based framework emphasizing ethical safeguards, and Asia employs state-guided AI strategies that balance rapid deployment with regulatory oversight. Although these approaches reflect different economic models and policy priorities, their divergence poses challenges to international collaboration, regulatory harmonization, and the development of global AI standards. To address these challenges, this paper synthesizes regional strengths to propose an adaptive AI governance framework that integrates risk-tiered oversight, innovation accelerators, and strategic alignment mechanisms. By bridging governance gaps, this study offers actionable insights for fostering responsible AI development while ensuring a balance between technological progress, ethical imperatives, and regulatory coherence.

Kozlova D.N.

This article attempts to review the relations between the Republic of Korea and Cuba at the present stage, after the establishment of official diplomatic ties between the two countries. Until recently, Cuba and Syria were the only UN member states with which South Korea did not have formal relations. But in early 2024, a breakthrough occurred in Seoul's diplomacy, and after years of negotiations, relations between Seoul and Havana were established. Due to the f act that Cuba is traditional and one of the closest foreign policy partners of the DPRK, this event acquired a special meaning in the context of inter-Korean relations. And in South Korea, both in the media and in academic and political circles, it was presented as a political and diplomatic “blow” to North Korea. Why did Cuba decide to establish relations with South Korea right now? What was DPRK's reaction to this step? Could the establishment of relations between Cuba and South Korea increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula? And what are the prospects for the future relations between Seoul and Havana?

Alexandrova A.D.

The article is dedicated to the reasons and process of choosing a company name in Xiaomi Corporation, whicn can be translated as “A small grain of rice”. Unlike many Chinese companies, Xiaomi Corporation’s choice of name was associated not only with a marketing move that would allow the company to successfully enter the international market and stand out from other brands, but also with the desire to demonstrate “its history”, which, by using certain symbols, would reflect such significant aspects of Chinese culture as respect for traditions, connection with historical memory, etc. The experience of Xiaomi Corporation shows how strongly traditions and history can influence modern ideas about the creation and development of a brand.

Dutkina G.B.

Yokai demons occupy a very important place in the culture and history of Japan. Yokai are the treasured key to the cultural code of Japanese nation , without which it is impossible to comprehend Kokoro – the Soul of Japan. The rapid fascination with Japanese demonology in the West and in Russia is by no means accidental, and the history of the Western world’s acquaintance with Japanese yokai is full of breathtaking stories. The article tells about the history of the study of Japanese demonology in the West and in Russia, and analyzes the reasons and features of the mass fascination with yokai in the world. A detailed overview of sources includes translations of works of fiction and studies devoted to yokai. The article pays special attention to the differences in the perception of Japanese demons in Western countries and among the Russian audience. The author sees the reason for this in the difference in mentalities – the Ango-Saxon ratio versus the Russian mythological consciousness.

Rendani Mbuvha, Yassine Yaakoubi, John Bagiliko et al.

As climate change issues become more pressing, their impact in Africa calls for urgent, innovative solutions tailored to the continent's unique challenges. While Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as a critical and valuable tool for climate change adaptation and mitigation, its effectiveness and potential are contingent upon overcoming significant challenges such as data scarcity, infrastructure gaps, and limited local AI development. This position paper explores the role of AI in climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa. It advocates for a collaborative approach to build capacity, develop open-source data repositories, and create context-aware, robust AI-driven climate solutions that are culturally and contextually relevant.

Miriam Jaehn

This paper focuses on the political crises shaping Burmese1 peoples’ im-mobilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. As governments around the world urged people to stay at home to be protected from infection and transmission, throughout 2021 many Burmese people protested the military coup of 1 February and fled Myanmar for safety. I problematize these movements of the Burmese peoples through the complex interplay between the triple C of (ethnic) conflict, COVID-19, and coup. I contend that, in Myanmar, adhering to COVID-19 measures emphasizing (self-)isolation and immobility was impossible as they served the military to suppress peoples’ critique and protests regarding the government’s coup and its mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, Burmese peoples’ physical movements and political mobilisation were necessitated to fight against an ensuing political disempowerment of the people. In other words, the unfolding of the COVID-19 pandemic in correlation with long-standing ‘ethnic’ conflicts and a military coup required the Burmese peoples to carefully contest an internationally propagated so-called ‘new norm’ of self-isolation at home and other social distancing measures, which bore the risk of suppression and of renewing political isolation experienced since the country’s first military government.

Bhaso Ndzendze

This paper investigates whether foreign investment (FDI) into Africa is at least partially responsive to World Bank-measured market friendliness. Specifically, I conducted analyses of four countries between 2009 and 2017, using cases that represent two of the highest scorers on the bank's Doing Business index as of 2008 (Mauritius and South Africa) and the two lowest scorers (DRC and CAR), and subsequently traced all four for growths or declines in FDI in relation to their scores in the index. The findings show that there is a moderate association between decreased costs of starting a business and growth of FDI. Mauritius, South Africa and the DRC reduced their total cost of starting a business by 71.7%, 143.7% and 122.9% for the entire period, and saw inward FDI increases of 167.6%, 79.8% and 152.21%, respectively. The CAR increased the cost of starting businesses but still saw increases in FDI. However, the country also saw the least amount of growth in FDI at only 13.3%.

Nkosingizwile Mazwi Mchunu, George Okechukwu Onatu, Trynos Gumbo

This paper discusses the impact of electricity blackouts and poor infrastructure on the livelihood of residents and the local economy of Johannesburg, South Africa. The importance of a stable electricity grid plays a vital role in the effective functioning of urban infrastructure and the economy. The importance of electricity in the present-day South Africa has not been emphasized enough to be prioritized at all levels of government, especially at the local level, as it is where all socio-economic activities take place. The new South Africa needs to redefine the importance of electricity by ensuring that it is accessible, affordable, and produced sustainably, and most of all, by ensuring that the energy transition initiatives to green energy take place in a planned manner without causing harm to the economy, which might deepen the plight of South Africans. Currently, the City of Johannesburg is a growing spatial entity in both demographic and urbanization terms, and growing urban spaces require a stable supply of electricity for the proper functioning of urban systems and the growth of the local economy. The growth of the city brings about a massive demand for electricity that outstrips the current supply of electricity available on the local grid. The imbalance in the current supply and growing demand for electricity result in energy blackouts in the city, which have ripple effects on the economy and livelihoods of the people of Johannesburg. This paper examines the impact of electricity blackouts and poor infrastructure on the livelihood of residents and the local economy of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Matthew de Bie, Janet van Niekerk, Andriette Bekker

Understanding complex spatial dependency structures is a crucial consideration when attempting to build a modeling framework for wind speeds. Ideally, wind speed modeling should be very efficient since the wind speed can vary significantly from day to day or even hour to hour. But complex models usually require high computational resources. This paper illustrates how to construct and implement a hierarchical Bayesian model for wind speeds using the Weibull density function based on a continuously-indexed spatial field. For efficient (near real-time) inference the proposed model is implemented in the r package R-INLA, based on the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). Specific attention is given to the theoretical and practical considerations of including a spatial component within a Bayesian hierarchical model. The proposed model is then applied and evaluated using a large volume of real data sourced from the coastal regions of South Africa between 2011 and 2021. By projecting the mean and standard deviation of the Matern field, the results show that the spatial modeling component is effectively capturing variation in wind speeds which cannot be explained by the other model components. The mean of the spatial field varies between $\pm 0.3$ across the domain. These insights are valuable for planning and implementation of green energy resources such as wind farms in South Africa. Furthermore, shortcomings in the spatial sampling domain is evident in the analysis and this is important for future sampling strategies. The proposed model, and the conglomerated dataset, can serve as a foundational framework for future investigations into wind energy in South Africa.

Balingene Kahombo

Pankaj K. Jha

The region of Southeast Asia has always gained attention from colonial powers because it sits astride major sea lines of communications (SLOCs), and also has abundant natural resources which has fulfilled the economic ambitions of the colonial powers. Following the independence of many of the Southeast Asian countries in 1940s and early 1950s, the colonial powers tried to manage the ideological fault lines given the fact that this region lies very close to China and Russia. The formation of ASEAN was primarily to counter their ideological influence, particularly communism, after riots were seen in a few Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. India and ASEAN began to develop relations after the end of the Cold War. Their relationship, which was based on cultural and religious interactions, also fulfilled political objectives of stimulating the newly developing states to join the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). ASEAN and India have completed nearly three decades of interaction as dialogue partners and within the frame of ASEAN plus one dialogue process, developing strategic ties and defence relations with a number of countries in Southeast Asia. In 2012 India and ASEAN also signed the strategic partnership agreement. Their economic complementarity developed with the growth of the Indian economy, as many Southeast Asian countries needed a large market like India. This paper analyzes different facets of relationships between the two sides and also proposes how the relationship can be enhanced, looking into future challenges primarily in areas of regional security and economics.

Ursil Lelo Di-Makungu, Junior-Jackson Bosakelia Lokwa

The legal framework of the Congolese exchange rate regulation has the advantage of taking into account the policy of de-dollarization of the economy by imposing payments of transactions between residents, the rights due to the State, to decentralized territorial entities as well as public services exclusively in national currency, namely the “Congolese Franc”. However, the study shows that it is the legal framework of foreign exchange regulation that is at the root of the Congolese economic disaster insofar as it enshrines multiple monetary competition of foreign currencies on the national territory through the liberalization of their holding and use. Therefore, it is obvious that this legal framework of the exchange rate regulation augurs the negative foreignness of the national economy and does not impact positively on the economic integration of the country. Indeed, the multiple monetary competition on the national territory negatively affects the balance of payment, and consequently does not allow the country to draw the dividends of economic integration. A profound reform of the aforementioned legal framework is necessary in order to ineluctably curb this negative foreignness. In pursuit of this matter, joining a monetary union is a good way to translate this negative foreignness into positive foreignness thanks to the co-ownership of the monetary sovereignty of the States parties on the one hand, and on the other hand, it will provide the country with an efficient payment system.

Yasmine Amhis, Mohamed Chabab, Zinhle Buthelzi

This document summarizes our best knowledge of the ongoing High Energy Physics activities in Africa. The information was primarily extracted from the first ASFAP Particle Physics day organised on November 2021 and on our working group talk presented at ACP 2021 conference on March 2022.

Burova E.S.

Cambodia’s economy has sustained high average annual growth rates, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. However, like other countries in the world, it has not been able to withstand the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Even with relatively good results in containing the spread of COVID-19, the pandemic has had a serious impact, shaking all the achievements attained. This article analyses the main factors that led to the economic downturn, as well as government measures to sustain the economy, and provides estimates and prospects for recovery.

Safronova E.I., Frolenkov V.S.

The article discusses a number of issues related to the concept of “international economic integration” (IEI), the real status of IEI in Eurasia and the Asia-Pacific, directions of the US-Chinese rivalry and mainly – trade frictions between the two countries. The Reasons for China's entry into the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the probable impact of RCEP on the international positions of the PRC and the United States in the near future are also analyzed. The authors note that the conflict between the US and China is capable of exerting both an inhibitory and a stimulating effect on the integration processes in Eurasia, and throughout the AP as well. The positive impact of the conflict for the PRC is in the fact that the Celestial Empire has been impelled to seriously engage in its own technological independence. The American policy of excommunicating China from high knowledge, on the one hand, and deliberate separation of the PRC from the American technological “field" on the other, ultimately contribute to China’s emergence as a self-sufficient world technological center. China is no longer satisfied with the function of a “world factory”. The great power has set its sights on a new role. The negative impact of the conflict on both the PRC and the United States is in the fact that it sharply limits trade benefits of the parties, reduces volume of mutual investment and the exchange of knowledge and personnel as well. The parties, having embarked on the path of mutual technological isolation, can inadvertently narrow down global technological competition, which will slow down overall technological progress (but will “spur” economic espionage). In addition, further exacerbation of the Sino-US trade conflict may lead to capital flight from Central Asian and other “emerging” markets involved in the chains of Sino-US economic relations. As a result, regional and even global economic development can suffer and, consequently, international economic integration can suffer as well. In general, the conflict and the US withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have prompted China to take control of the integration process in the AP (by joining the RCEP, in particular).

J. Santander-Vela, M. Bartolini, and et al.

The Square Kilometre Array telescopes have recently started their construction phase, after years of pre-construction effort. The new SKA Observatory (SKAO) intergovernmental organisation has been created, and the start of construction ($\mathrm{T_0}$) has already happened. In this talk, we summarise the construction progress of our facility, and the role that agile software development and open-source collaboration, and in particular the development of our TANGO-based control system, is playing.

Safronova E.I.

Issues of sustainable development (SD) have been attracting attention of the global community since 1980, when certain international organizations presented initial provisions of the concept to the world opinion. Furthermore, the idea of sustainable development was institutionalized in a wide range of international documents, the main of which was the “2030 Agenda for sustainable development”, adopted by the UN in 2015. The 2030 Agenda put forward goals for the world community to achieve SD for the next 15 years. China began to attach special significance to the SD idea from the beginning of the 1990s: at that time, it took a clear official stance on the usefulness of the concept and recognized it as a doctrinal support for its foreign and domestic policy. However, in the political science literature, China's position on SD is not often considered. This article highlights current approaches of the PRC to the theory and practice of SD, attempts to reveal their specifics, argues for the special timeliness of the concept for the PRC, and analyzes achievements of China in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in a number of areas. Also in the context of the SD concept, the author examines the current international situation, which is toughly influenced by the global crisis, aggravated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper also touches on the dynamics of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (interpreted by Beijing as a mechanism and vector of sustainable development) in the context of the coronavirus events. In particular, the author concludes, that Beijing's efforts to provide an “institutional guarantee” for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in China by creating specialized “institutions and mechanisms” have no world precedents. Another conclusion is stipulated by the willingness of the PRC to see a language of global communication used in the construction of a more progressive world order in the SD concept. In light of this, the author draws attention to the “roll call” of the Chinese doctrine of the community of the common destiny of mankind (CCDM) and the concept of sustainable development. The author suggests that China intends to lead not only the construction of the CCDM, but also the implementation of the SD doctrine. Finally, the author concludes that China has managed to make real progress on the path of sustainable development and even contributed to relevant world processes. Another conclusion is that the current global economic downturn, however, may result in new SD opportunities for China (also listed in the article).