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This paper examines international patent application decisions of nine agricultural biotechnology firms from 1990–2000 in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Patent Office, Japan and South Africa. The data reveal a low frequency of international applications despite an initial United States' application, indicating very low values for patents abroad. The results indicate that invention quality plays an important role in firms' decisions to patent abroad and that a single international application is a good predictor of multiple international applications. Further, significant country fixed effects suggest wide differences in business climates and patent enforcement among countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese investment in Australia is emerging as an important part of the Australia-China economic relationship. This paper overviews the major characteristics of Chinese investment in Australia up to the present: its volume, form, sectoral distribution, and major players. It then discusses the policies that have been driving recent increases in investment and those that are likely to have a more profound impact over the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The launch of negotiations for an Australia-China free trade agreement (ACFTA) started on 18 April 2005, following completion of the joint feasibility study that showed substantial economic and trade benefits for the two countries. The paper reassesses these benefits by means of an empirical analysis with a view to providing improved inputs for informed debate on the benefits and costs of an ACFTA from the perspective of Australia and China. The implications of the findings for policy uses are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short‐term load forecasting is essential to power systems management. However, most existing forecasting methods fail to fully consider how to rationally integrate the intrinsic time‐related dimensions of electric load data and the decomposition methods into machine learning models so that their prediction accuracy and robustness still have much room for improvement. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a decomposition‐based multi‐time dimension long short‐term memory (DB‐MTD‐LSTM) model for short‐term electric load forecasting (STELF). In DB‐MTD‐LSTM, empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) is first introduced to smooth non‐linear non‐stationary electric load data and constrain the modal aliasing or noise of decomposed electric load data in the traditional decomposed method. A joint relevant time dimensions method (JRTDM) is then developed using autocorrelation analysis to rationally extract the temporal characteristics of decomposed data in multiple time dimensions. An improved LSTM called MTD‐LSTM is developed by combining JRTDM with LSTM, which can effectively apply multi‐dimensional time characteristics of the decomposed load to improve the predictive accuracy and robustness. Several datasets from Australia and China are performed to check the predictive performance of DB‐MTD‐LSTM. Experimental results verify that DB‐MTD‐LSTM has better predictive accuracy and satisfactory robustness compared with state‐of‐the‐art and conventional predictive models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previews two international conferences on systems research and behavioral science in 2001 and 2002. 46th Annual Meeting and Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences in Shanghai, China from August 2 to 6, 2002; 7th Annual ANZSYS Conference in Australia from November 27 to 28, 2001.

China has been the largest foreign direct investment recipient among developing countries, and Australia's direct investment in China is also growing steadily. This article investigates the trends and determinants of Australia's direct investment in China. Evidence presented in this paper indicates that Australia's direct investment in China is above the equilibrium level and that its regional distribution is correlated with economic and policy factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilateral trade between Australia and China has expanded in recent years. This paper examines the determinants of bilateral trade at the two-digit commodity level using a modified gravity model with explicitly specified revealed comparative advantage incorporated. This methodology allows us to explore how the relative comparative advantage of Australia and China to the world, mirroring their individual pattern of factor endowments, affects the pattern of trade between the two countries and to identify whether there exists a kind of complimentarity international specialisation between the two countries against the backdrop of each country's booming trade with the rest of the world. Key commodities such as agricultural products, iron ore, petroleum, textiles and clothing, and machinery goods are considered to estimate net welfare in terms of added value deriving from bilateral trade. The findings have policy implications for forging future trade and economic cooperation between Australia and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The governments of Australia and China are presently proceeding through a process with the objective of agreeing to a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). There is little information available on the attitude of the Chinese to the proposal. This paper reports and analyses research findings from business students and senior academics in a Chinese university with a view to identifying some of the qualitative judgements on the FTA issue. Findings of the survey suggest that the Chinese respondents were clearly in favour of foreign trade agreements, foreign investment and new technologies. A limiting factor is the lack of detailed knowledge of Australia. They generally considered that it would be beneficial for Chinese companies to associate with their Australian counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an analysis of the potential economic effects of the China-Australia free trade agreement, and provides a set of policy recommendations regarding such an agreement. The article begins with a review of China-Australia trade relations, showing the widening gap in the importance of one country relative to the other. Next, the article examines the competitive advantages of China and Australia in trade by way of local revealed comparative advantage (RCA) and finds that trade between China and Australia is predicated on differences in their factor endowments. The study then investigates the main problems in the negotiations for the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement and concludes with a set of policy suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study collated responses from a survey of over 2,100 businesses across Australia to assess the extent of both their business dealings with China and their commercial interest in Intellectual Property (IP). We found that 9% of firms had business dealings with China but since these are disproportionately large firms, they accounted for 40% of business sales in Australia. Among these businesses, IP issues (registration, examination and enforcement) are of less concern than Chinese regulations and legal transparency. Among the IP issues covered in the survey, IP enforcement poses the greatest problem for Australian businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using continuous data from a dense seismic array in Southwestern China, we tracked S‐wave microseism sources generated by two storms in Southeast Australia and the North Atlantic. In the frequency band 0.1–0.2 Hz, the beam strengths for SV‐ and SH‐wave sources can reach 29% and 18% of P‐wave, respectively. We found that the strong SH‐wave is only observed when the seismic sources are near the thick sedimentary regions whereas P‐ and SV‐wave is irrespective of that. It appears that in addition to a three‐dimensional structure that is needed for conversion from P‐wave to SH‐wave, amplitude enhancement by a sedimentary layer is essential for the detection of SH‐wave. Plain Language Summary: The interactions of ocean waves in the opposite propagation directions generate an equivalent vertical force in the ocean, creating dominant seismic noise in the frequency band 0.1–0.3 Hz. This forcing mechanism can explain the observations of P or Rayleigh waves but cannot explain the observations of SH or Love waves. In this study, from precise locations of SH‐wave sources in Southeast Australia and the North Atlantic, it is shown that SH‐wave sources are only found near a region of the thick sedimentary layer at the sea bottom. Amplification of waves in a thick sedimentary layer seems to be required to excite observable SH‐wave in seismic noise. Key Points: A large, dense seismic array in Southwestern China detects clean S‐wave signals in seismic noiseStrong S‐wave signals were tracked for the storms in Southeast Australia and the North AtlanticThe SH‐wave sources were only observed near thick sediment at the sea bottom, suggesting an amplitude enhancement by sediment is essential [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine how rapid growth in imports of manufactured goods from China affected employment in Australia from 1991 to 2006. Alternative sources of variation in Chinese import exposure (at industry level and between local labour markets) are used to identify the effect on employment. Growth in imports from China is estimated to have reduced manufacturing employment by around 53,200 to 78,900 workers, representing 5.3 to 7.5 per cent of that workforce in 1991. Largest impacts are found for manufacturing industries most exposed to import competition from China; and from 2001 to 2006 when import growth was strongest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding and childhood obesity. A multinational cross‐sectional study of 4,740 children aged 9–11 years was conducted from 12 countries. Infant breastfeeding was recalled by parents or legal guardians. Height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat were obtained using standardized methods. The overall prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and high body fat were 12.3%, 9.9%, and 8.1%, respectively. After adjustment for maternal age at delivery, body mass index (BMI), highest maternal education, history of gestational diabetes, gestational age, and child's age, sex, birth weight, unhealthy diet pattern scores, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity, sleeping, and sedentary time, exclusive breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of obesity (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.57, 1.00]) and high body fat (OR 0.60, 95% CI [0.43, 0.84]) compared with exclusive formula feeding. The multivariable‐adjusted ORs based on different breastfeeding durations (none, 1–6, 6–12, and > 12 months) were 1.00, 0.74, 0.70, and 0.60 for obesity (Ptrend =.020) and 1.00, 0.64, 047, and 0.64 for high body fat (Ptrend =.012), respectively. These associations were no longer significant after adjustment for maternal BMI. Breastfeeding may be a protective factor for obesity and high body fat in 9‐ to 11‐year‐old children from 12 countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slack OECD economic performance and weaker macroeconomic policy support Summers's reuse of the phrase 'secular stagnation'. Globalisation has redirected growth towards emerging economies, and anticipated rates of return on investment are impaired by perceived risk, institutionalised risk aversion, ageing and dependency, declining commitments to public investment and research and development with rising shares directed to health, retained trade distortions, industrial concentration and slower human capital accumulation, not to mention unexpected global abundance of fossil fuels and a slower Chinese economy. The information and literature supporting these concerns is reviewed and implications for global and Australian policy are inferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses structural changes and emerging policy issues in the Australian petrol industry. The evolution of wholesale markets is a globalisation story: rapid economic growth in countries like China and India is bringing global crude and petrol prices to historical levels and creating significant changes in Australian petrol refining and distribution. In the retail market, recent anti-trust cases have centred on information technology, specifically online platforms that aim to inform firms and consumers of petrol prices. I discuss these and other developments that are creating new challenges for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of the Australian economy in the context of a global financial crisis, including a decline in commodity prices. Inflation caused by commodity demand, the international credit crisis, and the Australian housing market is discussed, and an analysis of the Australian states and industries which are likely to be most affected by a recession is presented. It is noted that Australian trade with China is likely to ameliorate the impact of recessionary forces, while the Australian government's economic policies are judged to be suitable for mitigating recessionary pressures.

A study of loess in Australia brings the idea of ‘desert’ loess back into view. Production of particles in deserts still presents problems, but deserts do make adequate storage regions for loess particles – usually produced in adjacent mountains. Straightforward for Central Asia or China (a particle source in High Asia and convenient deserts en route to eventual deposition), but the Sahara and Australian deserts traditionally present problems. If loess material is allowed to be silt-sized clay agglomerate particles as well as the usual clastic primary minerals, then loess in Australia seems reasonable. Loess acquires its remarkable loessic qualities via aeolian deposition – the nature of the particles is perhaps of lesser importance. A more generalised approach to airborne sediments might be attempted, with two major types of suspension material recognised: large dust (maybe coarse and very coarse silt, say 20–60 µm, or perhaps 4–6 phi) and small dust (fine and very fine silt, 2–8 µm, 7–9 phi). Loess is made from large dust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the implications of China's rapid economic growth on the demand for energy and minerals, especially on the demand for these products imported from Australia. Since China's rapid growth is likely to continue for about another two decades, its demand for energy and minerals will expand as well. Nonetheless, as the share of manufacturing decreases, the expansion in demand for energy and minerals in China will slow over that period. While China's aggregate demand for energy and minerals will not expand as rapidly as its economy, its import needs, including imports from Australia, will increase more rapidly than its economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the current position and potential problems in the Australia-China financial service trade. The world's financial service trade is underdeveloped compared with world merchandise trade. Similarly, the Australia-China financial service trade is also underdeveloped compared with bilateral merchandise trade. The major reasons lie with the late development of bilateral financial service trade, weak promotion by the Australian Government and China's immature legal and market system. The conclusion offers suggestions on how both sides might achieve success in the area of financial service trade in the negotiation of a bilateral free-trade agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a survey of the attitudes of corporate managers and managerial students across Australia, the People's Republic of China and Indonesia toward 18 key contemporary environmental management issues. The study sought to explore whether respondents from these countries, characterized by differing levels of development, also differ in their attitude toward environmental management. Results indicated that, despite age being a moderating factor, significant differences did exist between the 676 country respondents on 15 of the 18 questions. Contrary to expectations, Australian respondents were more cautious of supporting a forthright view on environmental issues, whilst Chinese respondents favoured a more centralized approach to decision making regarding the environment. The results lend marginal support to the new environmental paradigm (NEP), but also to the radicalization of environmental issues and age as a possible influence on respondent beliefs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To test the hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis in patients in China is milder in severity than that in patients in a western country, a comparison was made of 2 series of consecutive outpatients with definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis who were attending referral centers in Melbourne, Australia and Shanghai, China. This paper reports the findings on radiographs of the wrists and hands. Making allowances for age and duration of disease, changes were more frequent and severe in the Australian patient series, particularly at the metacarpophalangeal joints.