Impact of Natural Forest Protection Program policies on forests in northeastern China

This study analyzes the effects of the Natural Forest Protection Program （NFPP） on the restoration of forest resources in the northeastern forest region of China, an important region because of its ecological and geographical location and timber supply in China, by using panel data sets of 35 forest farms of state-owned forest enterprises. Panel data analysis results show that related policies under the NFPP have had positive effects on forest resources. Planting activity had a statistically significant effect on forest growth and could be reinforced continually by planting tree species suitable for a warming climate in temperate forests. Forest management and protection played a powerful role in increasing the growing stock of the forests. In NFPP areas timber harvests, after implementation of the NFPP, were a positive factor in increasing forest resources if the harvests combined effective tending and thinning under a carefully guided management plan.

国家组织药品集中采购和使用试点对临床用药管理与使用的影响

目的调查国家组织药品集中采购和使用试点(以下简称“‘4+7’试点”)的影响,提出政策建议,为进一步推行国家组织药品集中采购提供参考。方法用焦点组访谈法,对北京、上海、广州、西安和沈阳5个试点城市的64位医疗保险管理者、卫生行政管理者、医院管理者和医师代表进行访谈。用问卷调查法,就政策影响对5个试点城市的509位医师和498位患者进行分层抽样调查。结果医师对“4+7”试点的认可程度高,认为药品的临床效果达标,不良反应处于常态水平。患者给予中标药品正向反馈,对中标药品的接受度较高,试点降低了患者的医疗费用,患者满意度较高。试点也存在医院为达成政策实施目标而限制医师的处方权、医师工作量加大但激励不足等问题。结论药品集中采购的积极影响明显,但要实现控制药品总费用、保障药品供应和“三医联动”的目标,还应平行推进相关配套改革措施,如加快医疗保险支付改革,依托药品临床综合评价以真实世界数据推动药品的遴选和合理使用,调整医药费用结构,促进公立医院绩效及薪酬制度改革,推进行业监管和医疗卫生服务精细化管理等。

Impact of multiple policy interventions on the screening and diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis patients:a cascade analysis on six prefectures in China

Background:The detection of drug-resistant tuberculosis(DR-TB)is a major health concern in China.We aim to summarize interventions related to the screening and detection of DR-TB in Jiangsu Province,analyse their impact,and highlight policy implications for improving the prevention and control of DR-TB.Methods:We selected six prefectures from south,central and no「th Jiangsu Province.We reviewed policy documents between 2008 and 2019,and extracted routineTB patient registration data from theTB Information Management System(TBIMS)between 2013 and 2019.We used the High-quality Health System Framework to structure the analysis.We performed statistical analysis and logistic regression to assess the impact of different policy interventions on DR-TB detection.Results:Three prefectures in Jiangsu introduced DR-TB related interventions between 2008 and 2010 in partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,Tuberculosis and Malaria(the Global Fund)and the Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation(Gates Foundation).By 2017,all prefectures in Jiangsu had implemented provincial level DR-TB policies,such as use of rapid molecular tests(RMT),and expanded drug susceptibility testing(DST)for populations at risk of DR-TB.The percentage of pulmonary TB cases con firmed by bacteriology in creased from 30.0%in 2013 to over 50.0%in all prefectures by 2019,indicating that the implementation of new diagnostics has provided more sensitive testing results than the traditional smear microscopy.At the same time,the proportion of bacteriologically confirmed cases tested for drug resistance has increased substantially,indicating that the intervention of expanding the coverage of DST has reached more of the population at risk of DR-TB.Prefectures that implemented interventions with support from the Global Fund and the Gates Foundation had better detection performance of DR-TB patiens compared to those did not receive external support.However,the disparities in DR-TB detection across prefectures significantly narrowed after the implementation of provincial DR-TB polices.Con elusions:The introduction of new diagnostics,including RMT,have improved the detection of DR-TB.Prefectures that received support from the Global Fund and the Gates Foundation had better detection of DR-TB.Additionally,the implementation of provincial DR-TB polices led to improvements in the detection of DR-TB across all prefectures.

Assessment of the macro-economic impacts of low-carbon road transportation policies in Chongqing,China

Reductions in the transportation sector's carbon dioxide emissions are increasingly of global concern.As one of the first low-carbon pilot and carbon trading pilot cities,and as one of the largest automobile production bases in China,Chongqing has multiple low-carbon transportation policies that are coupled.In this study,three policy scenarios are set,including:1)improving the fuel economy of newly sold gasoline passenger cars to 5.71 per 100 km by 2020,2)promoting pure electric private cars to increase the share to 7% of private car sales by 2020,and 3)the policy mix scenario of the above two policies.Simulations are undertaken with the Chinese Academy of Sciences general equilibrium(CAS-GE)model,a type of computable GE model,to assess the macro-economic impact and the industrial impact of the three policy scenarios.Through the policy impact mechanism analysis and data-mapping process,the micro-economic impact analysis results,including costs and fuel savings,for the two policies from the bottom-up model are taken as the shock variables and inputs for the CAS-GE model.The results show that:1)the two policies will both have a slightly negative impact(-0.09% and -0.30%)on Chongqing's GDP in 2020;2)the employment rate will decrease by 0.12% and 0.47%,but the inflation rate will be restrained to a certain extent(-0.21% and -0.17%);and 3)the complementarity of the mixed policy can weaken the negative impact of the two policies when implemented separately.The mixed policy will reduce the GDP slightly by 0.37%,compared with the cumulative effect of the two policies implemented separately,resulting in cost-effective synergies at the macroeconomic impact level;and 4)the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has an uncertain impact on the results.The method and results can provide a reference for the formulation and adjustment of low-carbon transportation policies in other large cities.

STATE TRADE POLICIES AND THEIR IMPACTS ON CAR INDUSTRY

RMB was devalued by 50％. Tariffs on imports was lowered. Pricing on domestically made cars was adjusted. Purchase control was lifted. All these deemed as concrete measures of the state government to meet challenges as China is going to resume GATT

Are Confucius Institutes Building Blocks or Stumbling Blocks for Foreign Students in China: An Empirical Study of 190 Countries (1999–2015)

Purpose:This study investigates the impact of Confucius Institutes on China’s international education initiatives.First,it examines whether the establishment of Confucius Institutes has a gravitational effect on the scale of foreign students coming to China.Second,it discerns whether there are any association between the establishment of Confucius Institutes and the attributes of foreign students based on the type of program they select.Third,it identifies whether there are any differences in the impact of Confucius Institutes based on constraints such as the number of foreign students,income levels,cultural distance,and geographical endowment.Design/Approach/Methods:Based on the trade gravity model and the push–pull theory,we estimated a two-way fixed-effects model using panel data of all source countries from 1999 to 2015.Findings:Results show that Confucius Institutes have helped China attract more foreign students on Chinese government scholarships,with each Institute increasing such enrolment by 1.3%.However,Confucius Institutes have resulted in a drop in the total number of foreign students studying in China,especially nondegree students.This substitution effect means that the Institutes actually help China improve the composition of its foreign students.Further heterogeneity analysis shows that the substitution effect is primarily driven by the main source countries.Accordingly,this study suggests that China should establish more Confucius Institutes in Africa and Eastern Europe to maximize the catalyzing effect of Confucius Institutes.Originality/Value:In contrast to previous studies on foreign scholarship in China,this study examines all 190 source countries from 1999 to 2015.This comprehensive study also explores the heterogeneous effects of foreign students on trade across economic,cultural,and geographical domains.