Impact of BRICS Trade Facilitation on China's Exports Using Cross-Border E-Commerce

With the rapid growth of the global digital economy, cross-border e-commerce, as an emerging form of trade, has gradually become a powerful engine to promote the development of global trade. BRICS is an important force in the global economy, and the progress of the BRICS countries' trade facilitation level has an important impact on the global trade environment. This paper conducts an in-depth study of the dynamic changes in BRICS trade facilitation from 2013 to 2022, and uses an extended gravity model to analyze the specific impact of this change on China's exports using cross-border e-commerce. The results show that although the BRICS countries have made some progress in trade facilitation, the overall level still needs to be improved, and there are obvious differences among member countries. However, the improvement of trade facilitation among BRICS countries has undoubtedly brought significant positive effects to China's exports using cross-border e-commerce.

Micro,Small,and Medium Enterprises’Cross-Border Business Strategies

This paper explores the operational strategies of cross-border micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Against the backdrop of globalization and digitalization, cross-border trade has become one of the important pathways for many MSMEs to achieve growth and competitive advantage. Firstly, the paper outlines the concept and characteristics of cross-border MSMEs, as well as the analysis of their operational environment in the context of globalization, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors. Secondly, the paper proposes operational strategies for cross-border MSMEs, including international market selection and positioning, cross-border marketing strategies, supply chain management, cross-border financial management, and cross-border risk management. Finally, the paper summarizes the importance of effectively implementing these strategies for cross-border MSMEs to seize international market opportunities, reduce operational risks, and enhance competitiveness and profitability.

Traction power systems for electrified railways:evolution,state of the art,and future trends

Traction power systems(TPSs)play a vital role in the operation of electrified railways.The transformation of conventional railway TPSs to novel structures is not only a trend to promote the development of electrified railways toward high-efficiency and resilience but also an inevitable requirement to achieve carbon neutrality target.On the basis of sorting out the power supply structures of conventional AC and DC modes,this paper first reviews the characteristics of the existing TPSs,such as weak power supply flexibility and low-energy efficiency.Furthermore,the power supply structures of various TPSs for future electrified railways are described in detail,which satisfy longer distance,low-carbon,high-efficiency,high-reliability and high-quality power supply requirements.Meanwhile,the application prospects of different traction modes are discussed from both technical and economic aspects.Eventually,this paper introduces the research progress of mixed-system electrified railways and traction power supply technologies without catenary system,speculates on the future development trends and challenges of TPSs and predicts that TPSs will be based on the continuous power supply mode,employing power electronic equipment and intelligent information technology to construct a railway comprehensive energy system with renewable energy.

Cross-border Urban Networks Based on Manufacturing Global Value Chain:A Study of Listed Companies in Western China

Cross-border investment is essential for western China’s globalization.Global value chain(GVC)forms cross-border investment networks between industries in western China and overseas cities.Focusing on GVC,this study uses the social network analysis method,entropy method,multi-index comprehensive evaluation method,and quadratic assignment procedure analysis method to examine the characteristics and influencing factors of the urban networks of research and development(R&D),production,and sales formed as a result of the overseas investments of listed manufacturing companies in western China.Results showed that the three types of investment networks involved multiple industry types and multiple central cities with differentiated diversity and multicentrality.The R&D urban network’s leading sub-industries were the mechanical equipment and instruments,medicine and biological products,and metal and nonmetal industries.The destination cities were mostly those home to educational and scientific research centers.The production urban network’s leading sub-industries were the mechanical equipment,instrument,and food and beverage industries.The destination cities were mostly regional central cities in developing countries.The sales urban network’s leading sub-industries were the mechanical equipment and instrument,metal and nonmetal,and petrochemical and plastics industries.The destination cities were numerous and scattered.In addition,the R&D urban network easily formed specialized clusters,core nodes easily controlled the production urban network,and individual nodes did not easily control the sales urban network.Technological and economic system advantages greatly impacted the three network types.Considering the different influencing factors,this study suggests optimizing the institutional investment environment to narrow the institutional gap,adjusting and optimizing the investment layout to expand overseas markets,and increasing R&D funds to stimulate technological progress and overseas investments in western China.

Digital Development Rights in Developing Countries:Where the Governance Rules for Cross-Border Data Flows

The digital development rights in developing countries are based on establishing a new international economic order and ensuring equal participation in the digital globalization process to achieve people's well-rounded development in the digital society.The relationship between cross-border data flows and the realization of digital development rights in developing countries is quite complex.Currently,developing countries seek to safeguard their existing digital interests through unilateral regulation to protect data sovereignty and multilateral regulation for cross-border data cooperation.However,developing countries still have to face internal conflicts between national digital development rights and individual and corporate digital development rights during the process of realizing digital development rights.They also encounter external contradictions such as developed countries interfering with developing countries'data sovereignty,developed countries squeezing the policy space of developing countries through dominant rules,and developing countries having conflicts between domestic and international rules.This article argues that balancing openness and security on digital trade platforms is the optimal solution for developing countries to realize their digital development rights.The establishment of WTO digital trade rules should inherently reflect the fundamental demands of developing countries in cross-border data flows.At the same time,given China's dual role as a digital powerhouse and a developing country,it should actively promote the realization of digital development rights in developing countries.

A discussion about the limitations of the Eurocode’s high-speed load model for railway bridges

High-speed railway bridges are subjected to normative limitations concerning maximum permissible deck accelerations.For the design of these structures,the European norm EN 1991-2 introduces the high-speed load model(HSLM)—a set of point loads intended to include the effects of existing high-speed trains.Yet,the evolution of current trains and the recent development of new load models motivate a discussion regarding the limits of validity of the HSLM.For this study,a large number of randomly generated load models of articulated,conventional,and regular trains are tested and compared with the envelope of HSLM effects.For each type of train,two sets of 100,000 load models are considered:one abiding by the limits of the EN 1991-2 and another considering wider limits.This comparison is achieved using both a bridge-independent metric(train signatures)and dynamic analyses on a case study bridge(the Canelas bridge of the Portuguese Railway Network).For the latter,a methodology to decrease the computational cost of moving loads analysis is introduced.Results show that some theoretical load models constructed within the stipulated limits of the norm can lead to effects not covered by the HSLM.This is especially noted in conventional trains,where there is a relation with larger distances between centres of adjacent vehicle bogies.

Analysis of the Development Environment and Trend of Cross-Border E-commerce in China

With the conclusion of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the increasingly complex market environment,China’s cross-border e-commerce has entered a new phase of development.The external landscape is evolving rapidly,and there is a gradual improvement in laws and regulations governing cross-border e-commerce,coupled with increased government support.Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market economy,overall development has been steadily improving.The Internet population is expanding,the online retail market is experiencing rapid growth,the consumption structure is undergoing transformation and upgrading,and the e-commerce market is demonstrating significant potential.The advancement of technologies such as big data,artificial intelligence,blockchain,and supply chain has provided more efficient operational support for the cross-border e-commerce industry.Against the backdrop of the emergence of new forms of cross-border e-commerce in China post-pandemic,this paper utilizes the PEST model to analyze the macro environment of cross-border e-commerce in China and project its future development trends.

Unraveling engineering disturbance effects on deformation in red-bed mudstone railway cuttings:incorporating crack-facilitated moisture diffusion

Red-bed mudstone, prevalent in southwest China, poses a formidable challenge due to its hydrophilic clay minerals, resulting in expansion, deformation, and cracking upon exposure to moisture. This study addresses uplift deformation disasters in high-speed railways by employing a moisture diffusion-deformation-fracture coupling model based on the finite-discrete element method(FDEM). The model integrates the influence of cracks on moisture diffusion. The investigation into various excavation depths reveals a direct correlation between depth and the formation of tensile cracks at the bottom of the railway cutting. These cracks expedite moisture migration, significantly impacting the temporal and spatial evolution of the moisture field. Additionally, crack expansion dominates hygroscopic deformation, with the lateral coordinate of the crack zone determining peak vertical displacement. Furthermore, key factors influencing deformation in railway cuttings, including the swelling factor and initial moisture content at the bottom of the cutting, are explored. The number of tensile and shear cracks increases with greater excavation depth, particularly concerning shear cracks. Higher swelling factors and initial moisture contents result in an increased total number of cracks, predominantly shear cracks. Numerical calculations provide valuable insights, offering a scientific foundation and directional guidance for the precise prevention, control, prediction, and comprehensive treatment of mudstone-related issues in high-speed railways.

Formation and ecological response of sand patches in the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway,China

The development of bare patches typically signifies a process of ecosystem degradation.Within the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway,the extensive emergence of bare sand patches poses a threat to both stability and sustainability.However,there is limited knowledge regarding the morphology,dynamic changes,and ecological responses associated with these sand patches.Therefore,we analyzed the formation and development process of sand patches within the protection system and its effects on herbaceous vegetation growth and soil nutrients through field observation,survey,and indoor analysis methods.The results showed that sand patch development can be divided into three stages,i.e.,formation,expansion,and stabilization,which correspond to the initial,actively developing,and semi-fixed sand patches,respectively.The average dimensions of all sand patch erosional areas were found to be 7.72 m in length,3.91 m in width,and 0.32 m in depth.The actively developing sand patches were the largest,and the initial sand patches were the smallest.Throughout the stage of formation and expansion,the herbaceous community composition changed,and the plant density decreased by more than 50.95%.Moreover,the coverage and height of herbaceous plants decreased in the erosional area and slightly increased in the depositional lobe;and the fine particles and nutrients of soils in the erosional area and depositional lobe showed a decreasing trend.In the stabilization phases of sand patches,the area from the inlet to the bottom of sand patches becomes initially covered with crusts.Vegetation and 0-2 cm surface soil condition improved in the erosional area,but this improvement was not yet evident in the depositional lobe.Factors such as disturbance,climate change,and surface resistance to erosion exert notable influences on the formation and dynamics of sand patches.The results can provide evidence for the future treatment of sand patches and the management of the protection system of Shapotou section of the Baotou-Lanzhou railway.

A Railway Fastener Inspection Method Based on Abnormal Sample Generation

Regular fastener detection is necessary to ensure the safety of railways.However,the number of abnormal fasteners is significantly lower than the number of normal fasteners in real railways.Existing supervised inspectionmethods have insufficient detection ability in cases of imbalanced samples.To solve this problem,we propose an approach based on deep convolutional neural networks(DCNNs),which consists of three stages:fastener localization,abnormal fastener sample generation based on saliency detection,and fastener state inspection.First,a lightweight YOLOv5s is designed to achieve fast and precise localization of fastener regions.Then,the foreground clip region of a fastener image is extracted by the designed fastener saliency detection network(F-SDNet),combined with data augmentation to generate a large number of abnormal fastener samples and balance the number of abnormal and normal samples.Finally,a fastener inspection model called Fastener ResNet-8 is constructed by being trained with the augmented fastener dataset.Results show the effectiveness of our proposed method in solving the problem of sample imbalance in fastener detection.Qualitative and quantitative comparisons show that the proposed F-SDNet outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in clip region extraction,reaching MAE and max F-measure of 0.0215 and 0.9635,respectively.In addition,the FPS of the fastener state inspection model reached 86.2,and the average accuracy reached 98.7%on 614 augmented fastener test sets and 99.9%on 7505 real fastener datasets.

Influence of pier height on the safety of trains running on high-speed railway bridges during earthquakes

Sudden earthquakes pose a threat to the running safety of trains on high-speed railway bridges,and the stiffness of piers is one of the factors affecting the dynamic response of train-track-bridge system.In this paper,a experiment of a train running on a high-speed railway bridge is performed based on a dynamic experiment system,and the corresponding numerical model is established.The reliability of the numerical model is verified by experiments.Then,the experiment and numerical data are analyzed to reveal the pier height effects on the running safety of trains on bridges.The results show that when the pier height changes,the frequency of the bridge below the 30 m pier height changes greater;the increase of pier height causes the transverse fundamental frequency of the bridge close to that of the train,and the shaking angle and lateral displacement of the train are the largest for bridge with 50 m pier,which increases the risk of derailment;with the pier height increases from 8 m to 50 m,the derailment coefficient obtained by numerical simulations increases by 75% on average,and the spectral intensity obtained by experiments increases by 120% on average,two indicators exhibit logarithmic variation.

A Comprehensive Measurement Study Analyzing Cross-Border Logistics in Harbin New District

The business environment is an important index for measuring the international competitiveness of a country or region.Improving the business environment not only helps the logistics industry reduce costs and increase efficiency but also promotes the transformation and upgrading of the logistics sector.This paper focuses on the business environment of cross-border logistics enterprises in Harbin New District as the research object.It constructs the business environment index system of logistics enterprises in Harbin New District through empirical research using the subjective weighting method.The research data are then analyzed to identify the shortcomings in optimizing the business environment of cross-border logistics in Harbin New District.The paper proposes countermeasures and suggestions,aiming to provide a decision-making reference for promoting the high-quality development and all-round revitalization of Harbin New District.

Research on the path of effective management of participation in joint-venture railway companies by China railway group

Purpose-Following the regional restructuring,the number of joint-venture railway companies in which the Group participates has significantly increased.This paper aims to explore the challenges faced by China Railway Group in managing participation in joint-venture railway companies.The study seeks to propose specific approaches to ensure the effective management of these companies,thereby maximizing the benefits of the regional restructuring and supporting the development of a strong transportation country and a modern infrastructure system.Design/methodology/approach-Based on the change in the shareholding relationship between China Railway Group and the joint-venture railway companies,and considering the current situation of the regional restructuring of these companies,as well as the insights from existing literature and typical case studies,this paper proposes some specific paths for effective management of joint-stock railway companies which China Railway Group participated in.Findings-The problems in participation management are the unclear dual leadership role of the party committee,the lack of discourse power,the lack of synergy between shareholders,the increasing risk of sustainable operation of the loss-making companies and the role of dispatched personnel is not fully played.Based on the theories,combined with the existing research and practical cases,the paper proposed specific approaches,such as perfecting top-level system design,maintaining the discourse power,carrying out differentiated management,arranging personnel rationally,arranging shareholders synergy,and innovating methods to provide references for China Railway Group’s subsequent management of joint venture railway companies.Originality/value-This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the challenges faced by China Railway Group in managing participation in joint-venture railway companies following the regional restructuring.The study offers novel insights and practical recommendations for addressing these challenges.The findings can serve as valuable references for China Railway Group’s subsequent management of joint-venture railway companies which participated in,as well as for other stateowned enterprises facing similar challenges in managing their joint ventures.

Fault Diagnosis Scheme for Railway Switch Machine Using Multi-Sensor Fusion Tensor Machine

Railway switch machine is essential for maintaining the safety and punctuality of train operations.A data-driven fault diagnosis scheme for railway switch machine using tensor machine and multi-representation monitoring data is developed herein.Unlike existing methods,this approach takes into account the spatial information of the time series monitoring data,aligning with the domain expertise of on-site manual monitoring.Besides,a multi-sensor fusion tensor machine is designed to improve single signal data’s limitations in insufficient information.First,one-dimensional signal data is preprocessed and transformed into two-dimensional images.Afterward,the fusion feature tensor is created by utilizing the images of the three-phase current and employing the CANDE-COMP/PARAFAC(CP)decomposition method.Then,the tensor learning-based model is built using the extracted fusion feature tensor.The developed fault diagnosis scheme is valid with the field three-phase current dataset.The experiment indicates an enhanced performance of the developed fault diagnosis scheme over the current approach,particularly in terms of recall,precision,and F1-score.

Field survey and analysis on near-fault severely damaged high-speed railway bridge in 2022 M6.9 Menyuan earthquake

The 2022 M6.9 Menyuan earthquake caused severe damage to a high-speed railway bridge,which was designed for high-speed trains running at speeds of above 250 km/h and is located right next to the fault.Bridges of this type have been widely used for rapidly constructing the high-speed railway network,but few bridges have been tested by near-fault devastating earthquakes.The potential severe impact of the earthquake on the high-speed railway is not only the safety of the infrastructure,trains and passengers,but also economic loss due to interrupted railway use.Therefore,a field survey was carried out immediately after the earthquake to collect time-sensitive data.The damage to the bridge was carefully investigated,and quantitative analyses were conducted to better understand the mechanism of the bridge failure.It was found that seismic action perpendicular to the bridge’s longitudinal direction caused severe damage to the girders and rails,while none of the piers showed obvious deformation or cracking.The maximum values of transverse displacement,out-of-plane rotation and twisting angle of girders reached 212.6 cm,3.1 degrees and 19.9 degrees,respectively,causing severe damage to the bearing supports and anti-seismic retaining blocks.These observations provide a basis for improving the seismic design of high-speed railway bridges located in near-fault areas.

Deformation monitoring of long-span railway bridges based on SBAS-InSAR technology

The deformation monitoring of long-span railway bridges is significant to ensure the safety of human life and property.The interferometric synthetic aperture radar(In SAR)technology has the advantage of high accuracy in bridge deformation monitoring.This study monitored the deformation of the Ganjiang Super Bridge based on the small baseline subsets(SBAS)In SAR technology and Sentinel-1A data.We analyzed the deformation results combined with bridge structure,temperature,and riverbed sediment scouring.The results are as follows:(1)The Ganjiang Super Bridge area is stable overall,with deformation rates ranging from-15.6 mm/yr to 10.7 mm/yr(2)The settlement of the Ganjiang Super Bridge deck gradually increases from the bridge tower toward the main span,which conforms to the typical deformation pattern of a cable-stayed bridge.(3)The sediment scouring from the riverbed cause the serious settlement on the bridge’s east side compared with that on the west side.(4)The bridge deformation negatively correlates with temperature,with a faster settlement at a higher temperature and a slow rebound trend at a lower temperature.The study findings can provide scientific data support for the health monitoring of long-span railway bridges.

Digital Marketing and B2B Cross-Border E-Commerce: A Case Study of Alibaba International Station in China

The rapid development of the“Internet+”has ushered in a new era of global digital technology innovation.Concurrent with the deepening trends of economic globalization and integration,international trade is progressively undergoing extensive digitization,with cross-border e-commerce emerging as a significant manifestation of this transformation.Within this landscape,the cross-border e-commerce B2B platform is anticipated to become a pivotal driver for China’s cross-border trade growth,representing a strategic opportunity for trade transformation.This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the concepts,characteristics,and development status of cross-border e-commerce and B2B platforms,considering both global and Chinese perspectives.Focusing on a prominent case study,Alibaba International Station,a B2B cross-border e-commerce platform,the paper delves into its business model and core competencies,offering a thorough analysis of its role in the intricacies of international e-commerce and its contribution to the field.Drawing on insights gained,the paper concludes by presenting targeted recommendations from both the platform and government perspectives.These suggestions are informed by a nuanced understanding of the development opportunities and challenges facing China’s cross-border e-commerce B2B platforms.

A framework for dynamic modelling of railway track switches considering the switch blades,actuators and control systems

The main contribution of this paper is the development and demonstration of a novel methodology that can be followed to develop a simulation twin of a railway track switch system to test the functionality in a digital environment.This is important because,globally,railway track switches are used to allow trains to change routes;they are a key part of all railway networks.However,because track switches are single points of failure and safety-critical,their inability to operate correctly can cause significant delays and concomitant costs.In order to better understand the dynamic behaviour of switches during operation,this paper has developed a full simulation twin of a complete track switch system.The approach fuses finite element for the rail bending and motion,with physics-based models of the electromechanical actuator system and the control system.Hence,it provides researchers and engineers the opportunity to explore and understand the design space around the dynamic operation of new switches and switch machines before they are built.This is useful for looking at the modification or monitoring of existing switches,and it becomes even more important when new switch concepts are being considered and evaluated.The simulation is capable of running in real time or faster meaning designs can be iterated and checked interactively.The paper describes the modelling approach,demonstrates the methodology by developing the system model for a novel“REPOINT”switch system,and evaluates the system level performance against the dynamic performance requirements for the switch.In the context of that case study,it is found that the proposed new actuation system as designed can meet(and exceed)the system performance requirements,and that the fault tolerance built into the actuation ensures continued operation after a single actuator failure.

Durability evaluation for existing railway engineering: a review

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the factors, evaluation techniques of the durability of existing railwayengineering.Design/methodology/approach – China has built a railway network of over 150,000 km. Ensuring thesafety of the existing railway engineering is of great significance for maintaining normal railway operationorder. However, railway engineering is a strip structure that crosses multiple complex environments. Andrailway engineering will withstand high-frequency impact loads from trains. The above factors have led todifferences in the deterioration characteristics and maintenance strategies of railway engineering compared toconventional concrete structures. Therefore, it is very important to analyze the key factors that affect thedurability of railway structures and propose technologies for durability evaluation.Findings – The factors that affect the durability and reliability of railway engineering are mainly divided intothree categories: material factors, environmental factors and load factors. Among them, material factors alsoinclude influencing factors, such as raw materials, mix proportions and so on. Environmental factors varydepending on the service environment of railway engineering, and the durability and deterioration of concretehave different failure mechanisms. Load factors include static load and train dynamic load. The on-site rapiddetection methods for five common diseases in railway engineering are also proposed in this paper. Thesemethods can quickly evaluate the durability of existing railway engineering concrete.Originality/value – The research can provide some new evaluation techniques and methods for thedurability of existing railway engineering.

Artificial-intelligent-powered safety and efficiency improvement for controlling and scheduling in integrated railway systems

The multi-mode integrated railway system,anchored by the high-speed railway,caters to the diverse travel requirements both within and between cities,offering safe,comfortable,punctual,and eco-friendly transportation services.With the expansion of the railway networks,enhancing the efficiency and safety of the comprehensive system has become a crucial issue in the advanced development of railway transportation.In light of the prevailing application of artificial intelligence technologies within railway systems,this study leverages large model technology characterized by robust learning capabilities,efficient associative abilities,and linkage analysis to propose an Artificial-intelligent(AI)-powered railway control and dispatching system.This system is elaborately designed with four core functions,including global optimum unattended dispatching,synergetic transportation in multiple modes,high-speed automatic control,and precise maintenance decision and execution.The deployment pathway and essential tasks of the system are further delineated,alongside the challenges and obstacles encountered.The AI-powered system promises a significant enhancement in the operational efficiency and safety of the composite railway system,ensuring a more effective alignment between transportation services and passenger demands.