An evaluation of the role played by remote sensing technology following the World Trade Center attack

Remote sensing technology has been widely recognized for contributing to emergency response efforts after the World Trade Center attack on September 11th, 2001. The need to coordinate activities in the midst of a dense, yet relatively small area, made the combination of imagery and mapped data strategically useful. This paper reviews the role played by aerial photography, satellite imagery, and LIDAR data at Ground Zero. It examines how emergency managers utilized these datasets, and identifies significant problems that were encountered. It goes on to explore additional ways in which imagery could have been used, while presenting recommendations for more effective use in future disasters and Homeland Security applications. To plan adequately for future events, it was important to capture knowledge from individuals who responded to the World Trade Center attack. In recognition, interviews with key emergency management and geographic information system (GIS) personnel provide the basis of this paper. Successful techniques should not be forgotten, or serious problems dismissed. Although widely used after September 11th, it is important to recognize that with better planning, remote sensing and GIS could have played an even greater role. Together with a data acquisition timeline, an expanded discussion of these issues is available in the MCEER/NSF report “Emergency Response in the Wake of the World Trade Center Attack; The Remote Sensing Perspective” (Huyck and Adams, 2002) Keywords World Trade Center (WTC) - terrorism - emergency response - emergency management - ground zero - remote sensing - emergency operations - disasters - geographic information systems (GIS) - satellite imagery - synthetic aperture radar (SAR) - light detection and ranging imagery (LIDAR)

The Impact of the World Trade Organization （WTO） Regime on Foreign Direct Investment （FDI） Flows to Vietnam： A Gravity Model Approach

Foreign direct investment （FDI） has taken an important role in Vietnam＇s development process since the launch of Renovation in 1986. After Vietnam＇s accession to the World Trade Organization （WTO）, a large amount of FDI capital flowed into the country, up to 143,950.3 million USD. Wherein, there was a switching of FDI capital from the manufacturing sector to the service one in tandem with a downward trend in the agriculture. Like the previous duration, Vietnam＇s FDI capital sources came mostly from Asia-Pacific region and European economies （net capital, technology exporters） probably caused by Vietnam＇s integration emphases on dynamic Asia-Pacific region. Geographical location of FDI was characterized by a concentration on the three main key economic regions： the Red River Delta （surrounding Ha Noi, Hai Phong, and Quang Ninh）, the Central region （surrounding Da Nang）, and the Southeast of the country （surrounding Ho Chi Minh City） owing to good infrastructure, abundance of skillful labor force, and large market size. By constructing a gravity model, using descriptive, quantitative methods and applying them to recent data set by Vietnam＇s authorities and the international organizations during the period from 1995 to 2011 of 18 Vietnam＇s major country partners, the author finds evidence broadly consistent with the prediction that the WTO has had a positive impact on FDI flows to Vietnam.

2019 World Trade Report:Shares of Service Trade up by 50%

On November 6th,2019 the Ministry of Commerce and WTO co-issued the Chinese version of 2019 World Trade Report at the Press Center of National Exhibition and Convention Center(Shanghai).Zhang Xiangchen,Standing Ambassador of China to WTO,said at the event that this is the second year that the Chinese version of 2019 World Trade Report is issued during the China International Import Expo,showing China’s unwavering stance to support multi-lateral trade.

TPFTZ(Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone)——A New Pattern of China's Openning to the Outside World

Under the guidance of Deng Xiao-ping’s strategic think-ing of openning to the outside world, the structure of om-nibearing openness has basically taken shape in China. Follow-

Chinese Licensing Trade Going to the World

In late spring this year, Ren Jianxin, President of the Supreme People’s Court in China. welcomed the convening of the 1994 international meeting of the Licensing Executives Society (LES) held in Beijing. It was sponsored by the China Licensing Executives Society and was attended by 400 lawyers and academics from over 30 countries including the USA, Britain, France, Japan, Germany and South Korea. Science and technology is

An Outstanding Example of World Maritime Trade Ports

"Quanzhou:Emporium of the World in Song・Yuan China"was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List at the 44th Session of the World Heritage Committee on July 25,2021.Quanzhou was a major node city on the ancient Maritime Silk Road.

Foreign Trade Shortens the Distance between an Enterprise and the World

The Tongling Non-ferrous Metals(Group) company was known forproducing the first copper ingot afterthe founding of new China.Through 44years and generations of exploration, thecompany has now become a large nationalconglomerate of more than 30 units, includingsix mines, two smelting plants and threecopper processing factories, coordinated withmining, dressing, smelting and deepprocessing, with its products reaching 150varieties. The Jinlong Copper Co. Ltd.,jointly invested by this company and Japan’sSumitomo co., is the largest Sino-Foreignjoint venture in Anhui Province and theChina National Non-ferrous Metals IndustryCorporation, and is planned to go into operationin 1996. By then, the Tongling Non-ferrousMetals (Group) Company will be highlightedin China’s copper industry. In June 1993, the Ministry of ForeignTrade and Economic Cooperation authorizedthe company with the right of import andexport operation. In October the same year,the company established its own foreigntrade institution--the Tongling Non-ferrousMetals Import and Export Company,

Upholding the Opening for the Chalenge of the World Service Trade

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A Bigger Role in World Trade

China helps make global trade fairer and more beneficial to less developed countries WITH the rise of emerging countries represented by China and some other countries,the current international trade system is embracing a reform. A prominent feature of this reform is the participation of an increasing number of countries and regions.

Mould Brand with its Characteristics——-An Interview towards Liu Wenkui, President of Tianjin World Economy Trade & Exhibition Center(Group)Co.,Ltd

Reporter: Would you please tell us about business of Tianjin International Exhibition Center? Liu:Tianjin exhibition industry has developed well in 2004, 122 exhibitions have been held in our international center this year, with salable area of 2635000 sqm. Reporter: What about characteristics of

AIPPI World Congress Held in China for the First Time

The CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) held its regular press conference for September on September 29.Wang Linjie,Spokesperson of the CCPIT,released the Global Economic and Trade Friction Index for July and the National Trade Promotion System Business Certification Data for August.Wang Linjie introduced the preparations for the AIPPI (Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriete Intellectuelle) World Congress to be held in China for the first time,and also introduced the exhibition facilitation measures and policies for the second China International Supply Chain Expo.

对《促进发展的投资便利化协定》的评价及中国的因应策略

经过世界贸易组织多年的努力,2024年2月,《促进发展的投资便利化协定》被宣布正式达成,这是世界贸易组织在多边投资谈判领域中的重大突破。该协定在促进资本跨境自由流动、推动全球经济可持续发展、改善全球治理、缓解“南北不平衡”等方面都有重要意义。随着该协定的逐步完善和落实,全球更多的经济体将会受益于它带来的红利。但是,该协定在执行过程中也面临着各种挑战,诸如协定执行成本巨大、国际投资保护主义抬头等。中国作为该协定的主要发起国,要加强投资便利化的制度建设和功能建设,积极履行国际承诺,为实现全球经济可持续发展做出重要贡献。

No country is an island in regulating food safety:How the WTO monitors Chinese food safety laws through the Trade Policy Review Mechanism(TPRM)

Established within the framework of the World Trade Organization （WTO）, the Trade Policy Review Mechanism （TPRM） reviews periodically the trade policies of all WTO Members. The review includes many aspects of food safety regulation. China＇s trade policy is reviewed every two years. This paper analyses in detail the reviews of China＇s trade policy in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. It focuses in particular on food safety laws and types of standards, alignment of domestic standards with international standards, the role of different domestic institutions, transparency and notification of food safety measures under the WTO agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures （SPS） and on Technical Barriers to Trade （TBTAgreement）, import and export, and geographical indications （GIs）. It concludes that the WTO TPRM can contribute, within its mandate, to reform of Chinese food safety laws and improvement of food safety in China. it notes that China has already undertaken substantial reforms of its system for regulating food safety. It recommends that China should continue to participate actively in the TPRM, follow its own path with regard to alignment and learn selectively from other WTO Members.

Evaluation of the Degree of Opening to the Outside World in Guizhou Province

The goal of economic opening to the outside world is an important basis for formulating and implementing the policy of opening. Different economic development strategies have different requirements for the degree of economic opening to the outside world. Guizhou should implement the open economy and adopt the export-oriented development strategy, which objectively requires Guizhou to gradually improve the degree of opening to the outside world.

World Trading Signals for Indian Agriculture during WTO Regime: Multi-Stakeholders Decision Making

Globally, any country in the world either exporting or importing country need to look at international market signals. Agriculture is one of the most contorted sectors in international trade. The study is basically based on estimation and identification of various international trading signals to advocate their usefulness in decision making to multi-stake holders. Study period is 1990-91 to 2015-16 and the study employed is the Foreign Trade Philosophy to analyze the international market signals, trends, growth rates, elasticity’s, instability index, AOI, meta-analysis and the vision. It was observed that the export and import price elasticity’s for all the crops shown are positive except the wheat export price elasticity (-0.3%) and import price elasticity of soybean (-0.45%). Among cereals, pulses, oilseeds and fiber crops, rice (1.24%), peas (2.36%), mustard (0.97%) and cotton (0.75%) have high export elasticity’s respectively. These trade price elasticity’s are the important signals for the policy makers to layout the future trade. Study observed that the domestic support offered in the agricultural sector in Russia, India, China and New Zealand is more compared to other WTO member countries. Technical Barriers to Trade, Sanitary and Phytosanitary and Anti-dumping were found to be the most prominent in world and the highest imposed in Asia, Europe and North America. Study concluded, India has a comparative advantage in pulses, oilseeds and wheat and terms of trade of India’s cereals (except rice, maize), pulses (except pigeon pea, peas), cotton and jute which were found to be increased. The poor treatment towards the agriculture sector by the governments and World Bank Funding was observed. India’s import basket majorly consists of oilseeds and rice is the major exported product. Present study adds to the research directed at the impacts of domestic support and measures policies for WTO negotiations.

Asian Trade Integration and the Decoupling Debate of Business Cycles

＂Decoupling＂ refers to the divergence of business cycles among different countries, while ＂re-coupling＂ corresponds to the convergence or the synchronization of business cycles among different countries. The decoupling debate is popular in the field of economics, especially after global financial crisis. As trade integration increased among Asian countries, business cycle synchronization among these countries was expected to increase through trade transmission. The aim of this study is to discover whether there has been decoupling or convergence of business cycles through various trade channels. However, theoretically, increased trade can lead to business cycle synchronization either rising or falling. Inter-industry trade resulting in higher specification will induce less synchronized business cycles, while intra-industry trade could lead to increased business cycle synchronization. Thus, it is important to distinguish between intra- and inter-industry trade flows. Both correlation and dynamic factor models are utilized to study the evolution of global business cycle linkages. Results indicate that the world factor has become less important in explaining macroeconomic fluctuations from sub-period 1961-1984 to sub-period 1985-2007, while regional factors do not play an important role in explaining aggregate volatility, with the expectation of consumption. Overall, the explanatory power of country factors increases. Domestic consumption and domestic investment variances are more driven by country and idiosyncratic factors than by the world factor, contrary to the output growth fluctuations. Regional factors and country factors also play a more prominent role in explaining gross import fluctuations than in explaining gross exports. Results cast doubt on the strong forms of both the decoupling and the re-coupling hypothesis.

Economic and Trade News

Economic Goals for the New YearThe economic reform in China will deepenand the opening-up be furthered next year,top Chinese leaders agreed at a centralconference on national economy.The Central Committee of the CommunistParty of China and the State Council havejust concluded their jointly held two-daycentral econmic working conference inBeijing. During the meeting Hu Jintao,General Secretary of the CPC CentralCommittee, delivered a speech on the majoreconomic tasks to be met in the coming yearand Premier Zhu Rongji unveiled an all-round plan on next year’s economic work.The conference emphasized adherence