Blockchain:A Technical Support for the Modernization of the National Governance System and Capacity

The modernization of national governance needs to be supported with modern technical tools to conform relations of production to productive forces and enable positive and orderly interaction between the two.Blockchain,as an emerging technology in the age of information,features distributed architecture,greater transparency,improved traceability and enhanced security.Blockchain’s consensus mechanism can be introduced into community governance mechanisms,which,by virtue of its marketoriented operation nature,helps define the respective functions of the government and market in the modernization of national governance.The application of blockchain technology to the national governance system enables stakeholders to seek consensus and the largest possible common interests to improve the national governance system and better achieve the governance goal,reduce governance costs,improve governance performance and meet the development needs of the times.Through a proper top-down design,China can effectively integrate blockchain technology into its national governance system and thereby efficiently advance the modernization of its national governance system and capacity.Still,due attention should be paid to blockchain’s possible technical risks and impact during the reform and modernization of national governance.

Why Do the Imaginary and Imaginary Communities Emerge in Social Theory? National Imaginary in the Context of Globalization

The end of modernism questions reality and its theoretical description,and various attempts of postmodern rethinking of the social emerge-from denial,assertion of the disappearance of the social to its salvation through radical rethinking.Theorizing around the imaginary emerges and continues as a result of this rethinking.Cornelius Castoriadis,for example,absolutizes the concept of the imaginary,which,in his opinion,even contains the rational.Charles Taylor gives imaginary,though important,but limited role as a background knowledge.Speaking of the imaginary,one cannot,of course,ignore Benedict Andersen’s imaginary communities.According to Andersen,the“imagination”of a nation,like any other community,reflects not the fact that they are“invented”or“constructed”but that they are the result of human practice,that social reality is a socio-historical and cultural product.Nation differs from other communities in the style of representation,namely,the representation-understanding,first of all,of space and time.A specific moment in time is connected not only with the past and future,but also with the same moment in another time and space measurement.People in this case,communicate and socialize through books,newspapers,and national languages.Most importantly,the nation as an imaginary community opposes itself to other communities,distinguishes itself from them,and strives for autonomy.And the guarantee of autonomy is the sovereign state,the nation-state,therefore the nation is always connected with the state and the territory of the exercise of its monopoly right.That is,the nation is an imaginary community that is real only to the extent that it is correlated with the modern territorial state.According to the author,the transformation of the national imaginary under the conditions of globalization is characterized by the loss of attachment to the territory,by the fact that territoriality ceases to be the main,organizing principle of social life.Social practices are increasingly formed beyond borders,belonging to ethnicity,national identity is not determined by territory and citizenship.Despite this,we must not forget that globalization is not a finished project.The transformation of the national imaginary should be viewed not only as the emergence of new imaginary communities,whether national or transnational,but also against the backdrop of interaction and even struggle between traditional forms of social practices and new ones,as evidenced by the growth of ethnic conflicts and separatist movements.According to Appudurai,this is also a consequence of globalization processes.And how this confrontation will end,the question remains open.

Thoughts on the Modernization of Governance Systems of Ecological Environment under the Background of New Era

During recent years,the Party Central Committee and the State Council have attached great importance to the protection and governance of the ecological environment,put the construction of ecological civilization in a prominent position,and launched a series of strategic policies with strong foresight and guidance.Among them,the modernization of the governance system of ecological environment is regarded as the top priority of strengthening the ecological environment governance and the construction of ecological civilization.Based on the in-depth analysis of the connotation and background of the modernization of the ecological environment governance system,this paper analyzes the main problems and challenges faced by the current national ecological environment governance system,and puts forward the paths and measures to accelerate the modernization of the national ecological environment governance system,so as to provide a theoretical reference for the construction of national ecological civilization.

Promote the All-round Development of China's Human Right Cause in the New Era——Summary of the Symposium on “Deeply Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and Adhering to the Chinese Path of Human Rights Development”

On November 8, 2022, the symposium on “Deeply Studying and Implementing the Spirit of the 20thCPC National Congress and Adhering to the Chinese Path of Human Rights Development” was held by the China Society for Human Rights Studies in Beijing. Focusing on “the leadership of the CPC and human rights development”, “adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times and human rights theories in contemporary China”, “the Chinese path to modernization and the new form of human rights civilization”, “Chinese human rights solutions and global human rights governance”, “making a better China’s story of advancing human rights and constructing human rights discourse system”, and other topics, the participants reached broad consensus after discussion, and the symposium achieved fruitful results.

A Community with a Shared Future for Human Beings in the Vision of Modernization of Global Governance: China's Expression and Practice

The human rights cause in the world still faces structural challenges and crises, the factor of which including scarcity of living material resources, global environmental crisis and global terrorism. However, the existing global governance model and governance pattern have made it difficult to deal effectively with the above structural challenges and crises facing the development of human rights in the world. Therefore, it’s necessary to advance and modernize global governance. In order to realize these ends, the Chinese government presents the ideal of a Community with a Shared Future for Human Beings as the modernization of global governance and the Belt and Road Initiative as the proper project for this process of modernization. It calls on all countries to work hand in hand and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind so as to realize the modernization of global governance and hence the comprehensive development of human beings.

The Transformation of Environmental Governance from the Point of the Interaction between Government and National People's Congress

Taking cadmium pollution in X River as an example, the interaction between National People＇s Congress and local government was de- scribed. How the local government transforms its role in environment protection with the help of several deputies to National People＇s Congress was expounded from the angle of social construction, which also enlightened the way to build an environment protection road with Chinese characteristics.

Protection of Women’s Rights in the National Governance of Contemporary China

The development of women’s rights is a specific field in modern national governance.The essence of women-related issues in modern times lies in the political and legal systems based on gender inequality and the unequal male-female relationship established by male chauvinism,which has further created domination over and prejudice against women.Since the founding of the New China,especially after the launch of reform and opening-up,the Communist party of China and the state have attached great importance to the protection of gender equality,bringing about the continued improvement of the protection of women’s rights.However,due to various economic and social barriers,there is still a long way to go to achieve full gender equality.To understand the issue of women’s rights from the perspective of national governance and apply the concept of modern national governance to the protection of women’s rights,it is imperative to pay great attention to the substantive equality concept in the protection of women’s right during the national governance process,take empowering women as an important approach,raise women’s gender equality awareness,and recognize,grant,enhance and guarantee women’s individual rights.

On the Relationship Between Human Rights Protection and the Modernization of State Governance

The protection of human rights inherently related to modern state-governance. On the one hand, human rights protection is the foundation and criteria for modern state-governance, characterized by democracy, rule of law and civility, with human rights as a cross-cutting theme in all these elements. On the other hand, human rights protection provides conditions and motives for modernizing state governance. Human rights are pursued as a fundamental value in modern state-governance. Human rights protection is also a driving force for good governance and a touchstone for the modernity of governance.

Preservation of Human Rights as the Basis and Objective of a Modern State Governance System

A good state governance system, which features democracy, scientific decision-making, efficiency, civility and rule of law, is indispensable for realizing the Chinese Dream. As both the foundation and the objective of a good governance system, human rights protection should be integrated in all the processes of building a modern governance system. Adherence to public law in administration should be guaranteed in this connection.

Human Rights Protection in the Modernization of China's State Governance

In China, the development of human rights is an inherent part of good governance, as reflected in the following: Firstly, people are able to participate in social and public administration through exercising their 'democratic rights' under the constitution. Secondly, citizens' fundamental human rights and other civil rights are protected by law. Thirdly, people's rights to know and to express are expanding. Fourthly, the Chinese government is responsive to people's demands, ready to accept their supervision, and is doing its best to improve their living standard. To modernize governance, China must adhere to human rights principles by guaranteeing people's rights to participation, to information and to supervision, and by protecting the fundamental rights of the disadvantaged.

The Modernization of State Governance Will Promote Protection of Civil and Political Rights

The modernization of state governance and innovation in governing measures will strengthen the protection of human rights in China, including civil and political rights. Firstly, legal control over public power will reduce arbitrary restrictions on civil rights. Secondly, public participation in policy-making will provide more opportunities for citizens to exercise their political rights. Thirdly, governing by law will better guarantee equal protection of law for all people. Fourthly, an effective accountability mechanism will reinforce people's right of supervision. Lastly, innovation in governing measures will help identify and satisfy citizens' demands.

China's National Characteristics,Government-Market Relationship and the Development of Its Financial System

This study seeks to determine an effective boundary between government and market in light of modern financial theories.According to the findings of this paper,the relationship between government and market must be conceived of as under the "continuous spectrum of change" resulting from economic development.In practice,an effective frontier between government and market not only transforms continuously with the process of economic development but also demonstrates significant contrasts internationally according to the different national characteristics existing in each country.Determining a frontier between government and market requires that the relationship between the two be embedded into a broader set of institutional environmental constraints that incorporate consideration of the dynamic processes and mechanisms of economic development.The key issue is that government and market act with regard to the principle of comparative advantage as they play their respective roles.

Support for obesity policy: The effect of perceptions of causes for obesity and national identity in Canada

Interventions in Canada to address obesity have largely been limited to individual-level change through education rather than a population-level public policy approach. Little is known about obesity policy support in Canada, and substantial national variation in obesity policy support prevents direct transferability of these policies among nations. Our study recruited 521 young adults for an online survey through leaflets and flyers. We investigated how respondents’ demographics, health characteristics, political attitudes, beliefs regarding causes of obesity, and national identity affected their support for obesity policy. Results showed that there is high support for many obesity policies among Canadian young adults. Including Canadian national identity in regression models was significant in explaining obesity policy support beyond the combined effect of other predictors. Further exploration of national identity, in Canada and elsewhere, has implications for understanding obesity policy support that might assist policy makers in making more informed decisions in addressing obesity.

Implications of Declining Ground Water and Water Quality in the US Southeastern Coastal Plain Ecoregion and Areawide Environmental Impact Statement Required for Mining in the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin—Part 1

Karst aquifers occur worldwide and exhibit groundwater flow responses that differ considerably from aquifers lacking fractures, bedding planes, and other karst conduits where significant and rapid groundwater flow can occur. The regional, karst Floridan aquifer system underlies the United States (US) Southeastern Coastal Plain Physiographic Region and exhibits hydrologic interconnections with overlying surficial aquifers and throughout other zones of the aquifer system, as is characteristic of other karst aquifer systems. Anthropogenic groundwater declines in this regional karst aquifer system have been documented in published literature for decades, but the impacts of those declines in this coastal plain region and the embedded ecosystems that provide essential and critical habitat for native, endemic, and federally endangered and threatened species have not been considered previously. Those anthropogenic groundwater declines reduce surfacewater levels and flows due to the capture of both groundwater and overland flow of surfacewater, resulting in induced recharge through semi-confining zones and interbasin flow through fractures and other karst conduits. This case study identifies examples from the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin study area and comparison areas of how those declines result in loss of historic base flow to surface waters and other capture of surface waters, ultimately increasing saltwater intrusion. Those results alter and degrade the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters, in violation of the US Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972. Historic groundwater declines from mining and other anthropogenic groundwater withdrawals from this regional karst aquifer system already threaten the survival and recovery of federally endangered and threatened species, as well as existing and proposed critical habitat for those species within this regional extent, in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. This case study and its companion publication (Part 2) appear to be the first to provide scientific support for this regional karst aquifer system as the unifying factor in habitat responses to irreversible groundwater impacts on aquatic and marine ecosystems. These adverse impacts strongly suggest that the extent of the regional Floridan aquifer system should be designated as the Southeastern Coastal Plain Ecoregion for the purpose of managing natural resources. Mining activities continue to expand in our study area, which is the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin. Despite that fact, no comprehensive Areawide Environmental Impact Statement (AEIS), similar to the AEIS required for phosphate mining within the Central Florida Phosphate District (CFPD) approximately a decade ago has been conducted for any of the numerous mining projects that are occurring and are proposed within the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin. This case study also provides examples of why a comprehensive AEIS is essential to consider all of the adverse direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of those mining activities to the CWA, the ESA, and the irreversible losses to local economies, because federal agencies responsible for considering those adverse impacts rely on public comments to identify those adverse impacts. The mining activities authorized throughout the regional Floridan aquifer system under Category 44 Nationwide Permits (NWP) result in the same type of adverse impacts as the mining activities evaluated under Individual Permits in that region. Therefore, those Category 44 NWP mining activities also should be required to obtain Individual Permits and be evaluated under an AEIS in the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin. This case study also describes how Florida’s assumption of the CWA Section 404 regulatory authority in 2020 severs four sub-basins within the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin study area at the state line between Florida and Georgia.

Urban Cultural Excavation and Reconstruction in the Perspective of Cultural Interaction:An Example of Modern Counter-Industrial Development on the Suzhou Riverbank

Urban culture,as the core force of urban development,has been explored more deeply in the process of modern urban transformation and construction.However,cities have their own unique memories,and cultural continuity and heritage require further innovation.The Suzhou River was the center of Shanghai’s initial development and carries an important cultural heritage.In 1996,Shanghai launched the comprehensive environmental improvement of the Suzhou River,which has achieved the reverse industrialization of the Suzhou River through the fine management of the city,and has made a good achievement of urban management and a new culture of the Suzhou River.This paper takes,Shanghai,a maritime city,as the background,takes the management of Suzhou River as the entry point to explore the new path of building urban culture in the new era,and studies the cultural significance contained in the fine management of modern cities.

Study on the Reconstruction of National Ethics in Modern China

This paper takes the reconstruction of national ethics as the research theme,and investigates the formation and evolution of national ethics in the process of historical development in modern China.Through the study of some works,ideological theories and translations,it probes into the origin,subject,path and process of the reconstruction of our national ethics.The study has a certain historical and practical significance in that it gives advice on how we can maintain the subjectivity of our national culture and make it further develop in the world,where different cultures are interacting frequently.

Frontier Progress of Landscape Character Assessment in China

The role of Landscape Character Assessment(LCA)at the level of territorial landscape governance spans both natural and social sciences.By analyzing the development history,research distribution,methods and applications of cutting-edge cases of LCA in China,the following conclusions are drawn:①the LCA research in China originated earlier than that in Europe,but has not yet been systematically applied to the implementation of urban and rural planning at all levels;②the fundamental theory of LCA in China has been well constructed,with three main research directions:technologyled,assessment-led,and assessment combined with other theories;③the development of LCA in rural areas is more mature than in urban areas,but the progress of research is uneven across regions;④the current research presents significant“bottom-up”academic characteristics,and there is an urgent need for government decision-making authorities and academia to jointly promote a“top-down”standardized governance mechanism to comprehensively promote the modernization of territorial landscape governance.

Research on Ethnic Minority Representatives in State Council Agencies During the Period of Nanjing National Government

China is a multi-ethnic country.From the wuzu gonghe ( Five nationalities under one u n io n ) in the early R epublic of China to the current union of 56 ethnic groups, the participation of ethnic m inorities in p o litica l affairs has always been a vita l and important factor for the development of China?s democratic politics. On one hand, the Nanjing National Government was dedicated to the model of a “ civil iden tificatio n ” and weakening ethnic characteristics.

Development of Chinese Cultural Governance since the Reform and Opening-up

Contemporary Chinese cultural governance is an important part of the national governance system and the modernization of national governance capacity. It must combine international experience and local method together and run through the whole process of cultural system reform. The good governance of culture is the goal pursued by Chinese cultural governance, which displays the management process of maximizing cultural public interest. In the new era, cultural governance reform has experienced governance subject centralized to pluralism, governance space from inside to outside, governance method from ruling by man to the rule of law, governance path from control-oriented government to service-oriented government. To further improve Chinese cultural governance in the new era, relationships between top-level design and grass-root innovation, cultural democracy and cultural concentration, national cultural interests, social cultural interests and cultural interests of the citizens, domestic cultural governance and global culture must be dialectically dealt with. In the government-market-social governance structure, mutual assistance of multiple missions and win-win of multiple subjects can be achieved, thus promoting harmony of multiple interests.

Research on the Realization Path of Consultative Governance of River Basin Water Environment in China

As a new way of governance,deliberative democracy has an inherent compatibility with river basin water environment governance.Consultative governance of river basin water environment is an important way to build an ecological civilization in the river basin.It involves three different levels of government-level democratic coordination,government-enterprise-society consultation and cooperation,and independent consultation between citizens and their governance mechanisms.To realize the consultative governance of river basin water environment,the concept and system construction of consultative governance should be incorporated into the system and mechanism construction of river basin water environment administration.