Revisiting the nexus between fiscal decentralization and CO_(2)emissions in South Africa:fresh policy insights

The argument over fiscal decentralization and carbon dioxide emission(CO_(2))reduction has received much attention.However,evidence to back this claim is limited.Economic theory predicts that fiscal decentralization affects environmental quality,but the specifics of this relationship are still up for debate.Some scholars noted that fiscal decentralization might lead to a race to the top,whereas others contended that it would result in a race to the bottom.In light of the current debates in environmental and development economics,this study aims to provide insight into how this relationship may function in South Africa from 1960 to 2020.In contrast to the existing research,the present study uses a novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulation approach to assess the positive and negative changes in fiscal decentralization,scale effect,technique effect,technological innovation,foreign direct investment,energy consumption,industrial growth,and trade openness on CO_(2)emissions.The following are the main findings:(i)Fiscal decentralization had a CO_(2)emission reduction impact in the short and long run,highlighting the presence of the race to the top approach.(ii)Economic growth(as represented by the scale effect)eroded ecological integrity.However,its square(as expressed by technique effect)aided in strengthening ecological protection,validating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis.(iii)CO_(2)emissions were driven by energy utilization,trade openness,industrial value-added,and foreign direct investment,whereas technological innovation boosted ecological integrity.Findings suggest that further fiscal decentralization should be undertaken through further devolution of power to local entities,particularly regarding environmental policy issues,to maintain South Africa’s ecological sustainability.South Africa should also establish policies to improve environmental sustainability by strengthening a lower layer of government and clarifying responsibilities at the national and local levels to fulfill the energy-saving functions of fiscal expenditures.

Development of Agricultural Products Trade between China and Four South Asian Countries--An Empirical Analysis Based on Trade Competitiveness and Complementarity

For the purpose of study,based on the data provided by the United Nations Comtrade Database in 2006-2016,and using the trade competitive advantage index,trade intensity index and trade complementarity index,this paper made an empirical analysis on the development of agricultural trade between China and four South Asian countries. The results show that the scale of agricultural trade between China and the four South Asian countries was further expanded,but the growth rate was stable and the trade share declined,but the development potential of both sides has not been fully explored. Generally,China's agricultural products remain at a relatively disadvantaged position. Trade competitiveness and complementarity coexist. There is a large development potential and cooperation space for agricultural products trade between China and four South Asian countries.

China-Africa Trade Rises Between January and May

2018 was the 10th straight year of China being Africa's largest trade partner, and the first two quai - ters of 2019 seem to ensure that it will reach its 11th year. Overall, China-Africa trade reached $204.2 billion in 2018, a 20-percent increase year on year. January to May in 2019 has seen trade reach $84.76 billion, a 3-percent growth year on year, compared to a 1.6 percent drop in China-U.S. trade.

Preferential Trade Between China and Africa

Instability has been always harassing African cotton textile industry.According to the statistics form ITMF(International Textile Manufacturers Federation),there were 5.565 million ring spinnings,170 thousand

A Comparative Study for the Development of Coal-to-Liquids Industries in China, South Africa and United States

Many energy consuming countries have carried out research, development, demonstration, planning and deployment of coal-to-liquids (CTL) because of its ability to replace oil imports by converting coal resources into fuel. Among them, China and South Africa successfully had their CTL technology industrialized, while the United States did not. To understand the differences in the industrial development level, a comparative study is necessary. This paper compares the history, driver and policy of CTL industry in China, South Africa and United States, collates and discloses numbers of industry details for the first time. We figure out that the motivation, top level planning and policy consistency are the key indicators of the difference on the industrial development level. Among them, the key to the success of CTL industrialization in China and South Africa is the government’s strong and stable determination to improve energy security, which provides a stable top-level planning and robust policy support. The failure of CTL in United States is caused by the shift of policy attention after its energy security situation improved.

An Inquiry into the Approach to Asian Regional Trade Integration Under the Belt and Road Initiative——The Case of the Alignment of a China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area

It has been five years since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was first introduced. Though there has been a growing body of literature on regional cooperation between covered countries, Japan and South Korea have been barely discussed. This paper starts with the consensus-based mechanism of a China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area (FTA) to probe the approach of its alignment with the BRI in terms of the sequence of “master plans,”“viability of cooperation,” and “embedding of rules.” This inquiry found that the three countries have a shared interest in cooperation in Central Asia to which China prefers a pragmatic approach, while Japan and South Korea an approach combining idealism with pragmatism. Given the huge potential of cooperation between the trio, it is suggested that a “Central Asia chapter” be incorporated in the negotiation framework of this trilateral FTA, and that the design feature three aspects;fundamental principles, specific rules, and an executive body with a view to functionally contributing to regional trade integration in Asia. This approach may also be applied to the alignment of other Asian areas with the BRI.

Exploring the moderating role of financial development in environmental Kuznets curve for South Africa:fresh evidence from the novel dynamic ARDL simulations approach

The extant literature has produced mixed evidence on the relationship between finan-cial development and ecological sustainability.This work addresses this conundrum by investigating financial development’s direct and indirect consequences on ecologi-cal quality utilizing the environmental Kuznets curve(EKC)methodological approach.Our empirical analysis is based on the novel dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulations approach for South Africa between 1960 and 2020.The results,which used five distinct financial development measures,demonstrate that financial develop-ment boosts ecological integrity and environmental sustainability over the long and short terms.In the instance of South Africa,we additionally confirm the validity of the EKC theory.More importantly,the outcomes of the indirect channels demonstrate that financial development increases energy usage’s role in causing pollution while attenuating the detrimental impacts of economic growth,trade openness,and foreign direct investment on ecological quality.Moreover,the presence of an inadequate financial system is a requirement for the basis of the pollution haven hypothesis(PHH),which we examine using trade openness and foreign direct investment variables.PHH for both of these variables disappears when financial development crosses specified thresholds.Finally,industrial value addition destroys ecological quality while tech-nological innovation enhances it.This research provides some crucial policy recom-mendations and fresh perspectives for South Africa as it develops national initiatives to support ecological sustainability and reach its net zero emissions goal.

The Impact of Chinese Trade and Investment on West African Economic Growth: A Spatial Econometrics Approach

This paper has studied the West African region or Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which includes fifteen countries and its relationship with China. Three countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria) of the fifteen countries which are economically representative in the west African region to represent the overall-region were studied. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the spatial effect of Chinese trade and investment on the economic growth of West Africa. The study focuses on the period from 1960-2014 using the dynamic panel data approach and spatial autoregressive approach for the econometric analysis of this topic. Empirically, the results show that trade openness with China has a positive impact on the neighboring countries of the region, especially for those who share the same border. Chinese investment is vital to the region’s economic growth as the results show that one dollar investment increase from China to the host country increases the economic growth in the neighboring countries by 0.328%.

WRITTEN INTERVIEW WITH H.E.MADAME DOLANA MSIMANG, AMBASSADOR OF SOUTH AFRICA TO CHINA

Contemporary World:The Ninth BRICS Summit which was concluded not long ago in Xiamen has ushered in the second'Golden Decade'of BRICS cooperation,marking the marching for-ward of the BRICS cooperation mecha-nism.Some opinions maintain that the'BRICS Plus'mechanism has become an important power in global govern-ance.How do you evaluate the current role of BRICS cooperation mechanism in the international affairs?

China Time in South Africa

This year, South Africa hosts the Sixth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation （FOCAO Ministerial Conference, serves as the launchpad of Beijing＇s bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics, and also provides the platform for the Year of China in South Africa 2015 Louise Graham, Chief Director of International Relations in South Africa＇s Department of Arts and Culture, spoke to ChinAfrica about the Year of China in South Africa 2015 and how it would impact the two countries＇ bilateral relations. Excerpts follow：

THERE is much excitement in South Africa about the Year of China

after a successful launch of the year-long event at the State Theater in capital Pretoda. At the inaugural ceremony, artists from China and South Africa provided a large appreciative audience the opportunity to engage in an eclectic mix of entertainment. Ancient Chinese folk songs sung by African singers and South African mining songs sung by Chinese tenors all created a rapport that lies at the heart of the Sino-South African relationship.

The Cooperation between China and the Gulf Arab States in the Horn of Africa: From the Perspective of the Global South

At present,the unstoppable rise of the Global South countries and their increasing strategic autonomy has become an important per-spective to understand the current world pattern and regional cooperation,and also brings complex prospect for competition and cooperation between various forces in the Horn of Africa.As one of the most important extraterritorial forces concerning the situation of the Horn of Africa,the‘New Cold War’in the Middle East has brought certain risks to the security situation in the Horn of Africa,while the Gulf Arab States are expected to become active partners in the governance of the Horn of Africa with the arrival of the tide of Middle East reconciliation.Rather than serving as a chessboard or even pieces in the game of external powers in the past,the countries of the Horn of Africa are now trying to enhance their strategic autonomy and strengthen their solidarity to collec-tively address regional security threats.As an rightful member and key power of the Global South,China has taken the opportunity of establishing a Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Affairs to pro-vide new ideas for non-regional forces to participate constructively in the governance of the Horn of Africa.Strengthening third-party cooperation between China and Gulf Arab States in the Horn of Africa will help transform the negative intervention of non-regional forces into positive cooperation,stimulate the endogenous momentum of change in the region,and promote the develop-ment of regional governance in the Horn of Africa in a more bal-anced direction.

Ethical Trading： The Implications of the Human Rights Watch Report on South African Fruit Exports

This paper presents an ex-ante assessment of the potential implications of the 2011 Human Rights Watch Report on the South African fruit industry. The report explicitly mentions the lack of compliance with ethical codes within the fruit industry, the prevalence of exploitative conditions for farm workers and diverse human rights abuses in farms. The report recommends import ban on culprits as well as engaging third party auditing to ensure compliance. The high vulnerability of the smallholder farmers justified the special interest in the implications on their reputation and hence their ability to access profitable export markets. Although large-scale commercial farmers are potentially at risk of reputational damage due to the Human Rights Watch Report, they are better able to cope owing to their stronger capital base. The opinions of knowledgeable industry insiders were therefore elicited through qualitative research that used a five-point Likert scale to assess perceptions about market access. On the basis of the results, it is probable that the report will lead to improved working conditions for farm workers, improved concern for consumers＇ health, and enforcement of legislation by the govemment. The negative implications involve increased competition, possibility of retailers＇ rationalising their supply base and increased evaluation that ends at the farm gate. There is also high probability of increased marginalisation of the already disadvantaged smallholder suppliers, and possible increase in costs of auditing and accreditation for the entire fruit industry. Thus, active collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure the competitiveness of the fruit industry is inevitable.

Development in a Time of War： South Sudan＇s Renewed Conflict and Its Toll Upon Development Prospects for the Region

This paper is an adaptation of a presentation given on March 20, 2015, at the Conference on International Development hosted by Virginia International University. The paper reviews the December 2013 outbreak of civil war in South Sudan, and attempts to untangle the country＇s pre-existing development problems from those more directly related to the war. Finally, the paper discusses international involvement both in South Sudan＇s development and conflict resolution. It focuses in particular on the international debate over methods to end the conflict, the importance of state capacity, and the international understanding of development＇s relationship with the conflict.

South China Sea-A Conflict-Prone Place?

A military escalation between China and the United States in the South China Sea(SCS)is staged which resembles the Cold War crisis in Europe in the 1950’s and 1960’s.The PRC has reclaimed and fortified its holdings in the SCS since 2013;in 2017,the US has declared an“Indo-Pacific Strategy”to contain China.Due to differences of interest of the relevant countries,it will be difficult to create an effective united front against China in the near future.It remains to be seen whether armed conflict between China and the US be avoided.

Next stop, South Africa

Under the unified arrangement of CNTAC,the Third ATF Show/China Premium Textile&Apparel Trade Show-South Africa organized by Sub-Council of Textile Industry,China Council for the Promotion of International Trade(CCPIT TEX)and Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH(South Africa)are taken place in Cape Town International Convention Center,South Africa on November 20-22,to deepen economics and trade relations among China,South Africa and other countries in the African region,and to carry out the Belt and Road and“going global”transnational layout strategy of textile industry.

RCEP背景下中日韩三国生产性服务贸易国际竞争力分析

中日韩三国是RCEP框架内重要经济体,都是东亚制造业大国,生产性服务业发展对结构优化升级具有重要价值。通过2010—2022年间三国的生产性服务贸易国际竞争力的对比分析发现:相对日韩而言,中国生产性服务贸易规模巨大、增长速度快,2020年以来已实现顺差且规模不断增加;电信服务竞争力显著提升,加工服务、其他商业服务具有显性比较优势,运输服务世界占比上升。为进一步培育生产性服务业国际竞争的新优势,促进生产性服务业创新发展,中国在不断扩大高水平制度性对外开放的同时,可通过发展集群式价值网络促进生产性服务业与制造业深度融合,发挥数字经济活力与潜力,推进RCEP服务贸易国际合作,提升生产性服务贸易规模和发展水平,以满足现代产业体系建设的更高需求。

RCEP协定下中日韩贸易竞争性与互补性分析

本文采用RCA、GL、ES和TI指数对比分析了RCEP三个工业成员国中日韩的贸易竞争性和互补性。分析结果表明,中日韩三国之间的贸易关系日益紧密,但三国之间的贸易互补性逐渐走弱、竞争性日益增强。本文提出在RCEP框架下进一步发展中日韩三国经贸关系的建议。

RCEP背景下构建面向未来的新型中韩双边经贸关系研究

文章在对中韩双边经贸合作的发展历史与现状进行分析的基础上,针对近年来中韩贸易结构性变化产生、发展的深层次原因进行了系统深入研究,主要内容包括:从产品结构、贸易依存度、贸易竞争性和贸易新动力四个维度构建了中韩双边贸易合作发展情况的分析框架,特别是RCEP的生效对上述四个方面贸易因素的影响路径以及中韩双边贸易发展趋势的分析。研究发现:中韩贸易逆转的主要原因是中韩贸易结构趋同,双边贸易的竞争性不断增强,互补性逐渐减弱。依据研究结论,文章进一步分析了RCEP协定对中韩经贸合作发展带来的新机遇和新挑战,提出了在新的国际政治经济形势下,构建面向未来的新型中韩经贸关系的对策建议。

中日韩与东盟在数字经济领域的竞合——以数字贸易为例

通过熵权法构建2013—2021年中日韩与东盟十国的数字贸易发展指标,考察中日韩与东盟国家间的数字贸易发展水平,发现在东盟国家中,新加坡与中日韩之间的数字贸易合作发展指数最高。从中日韩3个国家对比的角度观察,日本与韩国领先于中国的数字贸易综合发展水平。在时间维度方面,进入新时期的中国数字贸易发展增长率水平超越日韩,在3个国家中具备最高的发展潜能。在全球数字贸易高速发展背景下,研究区域间数字产业的竞争与合作,将为中国了解中日韩数字贸易发展的国际差距、提升中国数字贸易发展国际竞争力提供参考思路。