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The Early Devonian Xitun Vertebrate Fauna, represented by early members of crown sarcopterygians, such as Youngolepis, Diabolepis, Psarolepis, Achoania and Styloichthys, is mainly hosted in the Xitun Formation in the Qujing area, East Yunnan of China. Despite numerous research articles describing taxa from this famous Lochkovian fauna and its sedimentary and tectonic environments, there is no objective and coherent interpretation of the palaeoenvironment in which these early vertebrates lived. Based on detailed field geological investigation in recent years in the surrounding areas of Qujing City and measurements from the Xitun Formation section, this paper focuses on the analysis of some geochemistry indices of major, trace and rare earth elements to accurately elucidate the sedimentary environment of the Xitun Formation and deepen our understanding of the relationship between Early Devonian fishes and the environment. The analyses of the sensitive geochemistry indices of depositional and tectonic settings, sedimentary provenance, weathering, palaeoclimate, palaeosalinity and palaeoredox conditions indicate that the Lower Devonian Xitun Formation in East Yunnan was mainly deposited in a shallow marine setting with three phases of seawater–freshwater influx under a warm and humid climate, and a stable, oxygen-rich condition, which promoted the flourishing of Early Devonian marine fishes. Supplementary material: Data on the major (Table A), trace (Table B) and rare earth (Table C) elements are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7020642 Thematic collection: This article is part of the Chemical Evolution of the Mid-Paleozoic Earth System and Biotic Response collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/chemical-evolution-of-the-mid-paleozoic-earth-system [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The relationship between industrial policy and exploratory innovation is imperfect. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use Chinese high-tech enterprise identification policy (HTEP) as a natural experimental group to test policy impacts, spillover effects and mechanisms of action. Findings: First, HTEP promotes exploratory innovation. In addition, HTEP has a greater impact on non-exploratory innovation. Second, HTEP has spillover effects in two phases: HTEP (2008) and the 2016 policy reform. HTEP affects exploratory innovation in nearby non-high-tech firms, and the policy effect decreases monotonically with increasing distance from the treatment group. Third, HTEP affects innovation capacity through financing constraints, technical personnel flow and knowledge flow, which explains not only policy effects but also spillover effects. Fourth, the analysis of policy heterogeneity shows that the 2016 policy reforms reinforce the positive effect of HTEP (2008). By deducting the effects of other policies, the HTEP effect is found to be less volatile. In terms of the continuity of policy identification, continuous uninterrupted identification has a crucial impact on the improvement of firms' innovation capacity compared to repeated certification and certification expiration. Finally, HTEP has a crowding-out effect in state-owned enterprises and large firms' innovation. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the existing literature in several ways. First, the authors enrich the literature on industrial policy through exploratory innovation research. While previous studies have focused on R&D investment and patents (Dai and Wang, 2019), exploratory innovation helps firms break away from the inherent knowledge mindset and achieve sustainable innovation. Second, few studies have explored the characteristics of industrial policies. In this paper, the authors subdivide the sample into repeated certification, continuous certification and certification expiration according to high-tech enterprise identification. In addition, the authors compare the differences in policy implementation effects between the 2016 policy reform and the 2008 policy to provide new directions for business managers and policy makers. Third, innovation factors guided by industrial policies may cluster in specific regions, which in turn manifest externalities. This is when the policy spillover effect is worth considering. This paper fills a gap in the industrial policy literature by examining the spillover effects. Finally, this paper also explores the mechanisms of policy effects from three perspectives: financing constraints, technician mobility and knowledge mobility, which can affect not only the innovation of beneficiary firms directly but also indirectly the innovation of neighboring non-beneficiary firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper's purpose is to investigate the effects of digital finance on the risk of stock price crashes and the underlying transmission mechanisms, and to provide suggestions to inhibit the stock crash risk (CR). Design/methodology/approach: This paper selects all companies that were listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2020. It then uses the two-way fixed effect model and the intermediary effect model to verify such effects. Findings: The overall outcomes demonstrate such a result that the CR of listed companies in China can be significantly reduced by the development of digital finance, and the overall transparency of business financial information and the equity pledge of controlling shareholders are the two underlying transmission mechanisms that digital finance can cause effects on the CR of stocks. Research limitations/implications: The main limitations are that there may exist some problems in the method for evaluating the CR of stocks. And there may be a problem of endogeneity caused by the empirical model cannot control all correlation variables. Practical implications: This paper would provide policy implications, for different roles, to inhibit the stock CR and to make the development of the economy more stabilize. Social implications: Digital finance can promote economic development while restraining financial risks at the same time. Therefore, although this study is based on the relevant data from China, it can also provide a reference for other economies with different basic conditions from China, to promote the overall development of the world economy. Originality/value: The current academic research on digital finance or stock price CR has been relatively sufficient, but there are few papers that combined both. By combining digital finance with stock CR, this paper researches the influence of digital finance on the CR of stocks through empirical analysis. So, this paper would provide new research ideas and evidence for potential influence factors of the CR of stocks, fill the gap in this research field and provide certain help for subsequent scholars to conduct relevant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses China's shift in labeling laws for foods containing genetically modified crops, aiming to offer consumers more choice amidst the approval of various GM crops for planting and commercial production.

Tims China, the operator of Tim Hortons coffee shops and Popeyes restaurants in China, has surpassed 20 million registered loyalty club members on March 31, according to a press release. The company credits its loyalty program as a key driver... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A report from Guangxi University discusses the importance of consumer participation in food safety governance. The study collected 1229 questionnaires from online food consumers in China and found that social capital can encourage consumers to participate in food safety governance. Social capital achieves this by reducing the adverse effects of free-riding and promoting the sharing of food safety information and the direct supply of safe food. The research suggests that these findings can inspire the promotion of consumer participation in food safety governance in developing countries. [Extracted from the article]

The energy industry is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and energy investment is an important regulatory tool to encourage the energy industry to actively respond to climate change and achieve low-carbon development. Therefore, it is of great practical significance to correctly understand the important role of the energy industry, to predict energy investments objectively and accurately, to achieve scientific and rational investment, and make policy recommendations for the energy production and consumption revolution. In this paper, the Haavelmo model of economic growth is introduced into the energy system, using the characteristics of the continuous form of the model to establish the differential equations for the dynamics of fixed asset investment in the energy industry, and Haavelmo's grey prediction model using the grey difference information principle. Meanwhile, the Python program is used to solve the parameters of the new model, and the mathematical transformation is used to find the time response equation of the new model, and the modeling steps and the modeling flow chart of the model are obtained. Finally, the new model will be applied to two types of energy investments in China: total energy industry investment and investment in electricity, steam, hot water production, and supply industry. Both types of energy use the same modeling object and forecast object, and six cases are compared with three grey forecasting models from different perspectives, and their results show that they are much better than the other three grey forecasting models, demonstrating the effectiveness of the new model to effectively forecast energy investments and improve the efficiency of energy industry investments, cultivate healthy and environmentally friendly energy consumption habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article compares the economic policies towards China of former US President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. Both administrations see China as an unfair trading partner and have taken steps to address this issue. However, there are differences in their approaches. Trump focused mainly on trade concerns and took a unilateral approach, while Biden takes a more comprehensive view and prioritizes working with allies and partners. Biden also emphasizes worker and human rights in his China policy. These differences are likely to become more apparent in the 2024 presidential election campaign. The article also discusses the challenges and complexities that the next president will face in China-US economic and trade relations. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the decline in the number of international students studying in China, particularly from developed countries. The author highlights proposals made by Professor Jia Qingguo of Peking University to address this issue. Possible reasons for the decline include perception issues, limited employment opportunities, and concerns about academic research. Jia suggests measures such as clarifying the application of relevant laws and improving communication about China's policy intentions. The article concludes by questioning whether these proposals will effectively attract students from developed countries and how the relevant departments will respond to the issues raised. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: High-quality labor supply is inevitable to maintain sustainable and steady economic growth. This study mainly explores the impact of the social pension system on the health of human capital, and further explores its impact mechanism. Design/methodology/approach: On the basis of the data from China Family Panel Studies from 2012 to 2018, this article uses the fixed effect model and the mediation effect model to empirically study the influence of the social pension scheme on the health of human capital and further explore its influence mechanism. Findings: This study shows that the social pension scheme can significantly improve the physical and mental health of laborers, especially for low-income and agricultural groups. The implementation of the social pension scheme contributes to increasing medical services and reducing the labor supply for the benefit of human health capital. Therefore, the government should continue to expand the coverage of the social pension scheme and comprehensively improve the importance of human health capital on economic growth. Practical implications: Medical costs and labor supply play a mediating effect in the relationship between social pension and rural labors' health status, which indicates that medical costs and labor supply level are still important factors affecting the health status of rural labor. There are essential factors affecting the health status of the rural labor force, and their role should be given more consideration in the process of system design and improvement. Originality/value: The existing studies have more frequently studied the effect of the implementation of social pension schemes from the perspective of economic performance, but this paper evaluates the policy effect of social pension schemes based on the perspective of health human capital, which enriches research on health performance in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the factors affecting urban economic development in emerging economic market countries and to provide a new research perspective on urban skyscraper construction. Design/methodology/approach: An empirical analysis based on a difference-in-differences (DID) model is conducted using data of urban data in China that expand into developed markets from 2003 to 2018. Findings: The results of the spatial heterogeneity test indicate that the construction of skyscrapers has a significant promotional effect on the eastern city's economy. In contrast, it has a significant inhibitory effect in the central and western regions. Further findings demonstrate that the construction of skyscrapers can influence urban economic development by promoting industrial agglomeration, especially when the transmission effect of the diversified accumulation of tertiary industry is more prominent. The expansion analysis shows that skyscrapers have increased the level of trade in the city, and the impact on trade has an optimal height. Research limitations/implications: This paper focuses on the economic and trade effects of skyscrapers, and the optimal height of skyscrapers needs to be discussed in more depth, which is also the next problem the researchers need to study. Practical implications: The government should attach importance to and promote the construction of urban skyscrapers, and do a good job in overall planning and design. The city should formulate preferential policies in land, taxation, finance, system and other aspects to increase support for urban skyscraper construction and promote local economic development. Originality/value: This study focuses on the impact of urban skyscraper construction on the economic and trade development of cities in developing countries, which not only complements the relevant research on the economic effects of urban skyscraper construction, but also helps to provide reference for the sustainable development of urbanization in many developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how the US has utilized human rights abuses in China, specifically in Taiwan, Tibet, and Xinjiang, for its own political agenda. It points out instances where US agencies have exaggerated or fabricated threats from China. The article delves into the history of US involvement in Tibet, including covert operations and support for Tibetan rebels. While officially adhering to a "one-China policy," the US behaves as if Taiwan is an independent nation, providing military assistance and training to Taiwanese forces. The article also highlights the US's interest in destabilizing Xinjiang due to its economic and geopolitical importance. Overall, the article argues that the US has weaponized human rights issues to shape China's foreign and domestic policies in line with its own interests. It also discusses the historical context and geopolitical factors surrounding the Uyghur situation in China, emphasizing the US's past involvement in arming and training Uyghur militants, which has contributed to the current tensions. The article mentions the exploitation of the Uyghur issue by Western countries for political purposes and the US's role in creating a perception of China as a threat. It concludes by discussing the US's strategic deception and imperial ambitions in the region. [Extracted from the article]

A report from Nanjing University in China examines the impact of special economic zones (SEZs) on infant mortality rates. The study finds that SEZs significantly decrease the local infant mortality rate, with a greater impact on male infants and infants with less-educated mothers. The research suggests that the improvement in infant survival is due to the economic growth stimulated by the SEZs, rather than changes in fertility or environmental factors. These findings highlight the importance of considering human capital-related consequences when implementing place-based policies in China. [Extracted from the article]

Pakistan and China have agreed to establish a Working Group (WG) on five new economic corridors as part of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The corridors align with the 5Es framework developed by the Planning Ministry and include the Corridor of Job Creation, Corridor of Innovation, Corridor of Green Energy, and Inclusive Regional Development. The Planning Ministry and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China will prepare separate concept papers for each corridor, which will be presented at an upcoming Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting in 2024. The implementation of the 5Es framework has already begun, focusing on export, energy, equity, e-Pakistan, and the environment. [Extracted from the article]

China's government bond market is experiencing a resurgence after a brief pause, with the yield on 30-year government bonds approaching its lowest level since 2005. Traders are considering the impact of China's plan to increase the issuance of ultra-long sovereign notes and the possibility of further monetary easing by the central bank. There is speculation that the People's Bank of China may need to lower reserve requirements or implement other easing measures if the nation were to sell ultra-long bonds. The recent data showing slow loan growth in February suggests that the central bank will need to maintain loose liquidity conditions to stimulate credit growth. The yield on 10-year sovereign notes remains steady at 2.28%, near its lowest level since 2002. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute Co. Ltd. explores the effectiveness of a combined active and passive safety system in protecting pedestrians from head injuries in vehicle collisions. The study constructs a "vehicle-pedestrian" interaction system and analyzes the impact of the exterior airbag and braking control systems on pedestrian head injury. The results show that the exterior airbag can effectively protect the pedestrian's head and reduce the head injury criterion (HIC). The study proposes a hierarchical design strategy and a rapid prediction method for HIC, providing a theoretical basis for parameter design and selection. [Extracted from the article]

Taiwan's election in January 2024 was the first to focus primarily on domestic policy rather than national identity or relations with China. The presidential candidates' platforms converged to support protecting Taiwan's sovereignty and rejecting China's formula for unification. Meanwhile, Taiwan's complex domestic problems, including unaffordable housing, stagnating wages, an aging population, energy insecurity, and unsustainable entitlements, were prominent election issues. The Democratic Progressive Party won an unprecedented third term for the presidency, but the legislature was split among three parties. Although Beijing will likely continue its economic coercion and military build-up, it will also need to develop different strategies to win hearts in Taiwan. Taiwanese are also increasingly skeptical of the US, which has been upgrading political relations with Taiwan but without enhancing Taiwan's international role or offering it tangible economic benefits. With no single political party securing a majority of seats in parliament, Taiwan will be unable to balance its interests between China and the US or expedite the implementation of reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has two security services responsible for domestic surveillance. The "political security protection" bureau of the Ministry of Public Security and its local equivalents perform most of the duties of domestic political spying. The Ministry of State Security and its local outfits play a largely secondary role in domestic political spying, with a remit to target individuals suspected of external connections or being ethnic minorities. Not much is known about the organization, size, and operational tactics of these two secret police services due to the secrecy surrounding them. This analysis uses open-source materials to construct a basic profile of their organizational structure, missions, and activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can the People's Liberation Army (PLA) achieve its ambitious modernization goals in an era of economic stagnation? Fewer national resources for procurement combined with technological restrictions imposed by the United States and temptations to use force in regional disputes could all hinder modernization timelines that extend through 2049. Nevertheless, gloomy assessments are premature. This essay argues that the PLA will probably stay on track. China's overall defense burden is far smaller than that of the Soviets during the Cold War or that of the U.S. today, meaning that funding will continue to flow. The impact of U.S. restrictions on the PLA will be diminished by domestic innovation and inconsistent participation by U.S. partners. Additionally, China's leaders have generally followed a military strategy that encourages a focus on long-term modernization priorities and avoidance of strategic distractions. Consequently, Beijing will probably not see the PLA as a diminishing asset that must be used during this decade, and competitive strategies to weaken China's military might from the outside are likely unrealistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese policymakers have been aware that financial security is part of national security since the 1997 Asian financial crisis. During the past decade, especially since the escalation of U.S.-China trade tensions since 2018, anxieties among Chinese policymakers over the country's financial security have increased. In this context, China has accelerated development of an alternative global financial system with the goal of reducing its strategic vulnerabilities to potential sanctions. This article presents three primary strategies that the Chinese government has pursued to achieve this goal: supporting and expanding regional and multilateral currency and financial cooperation through various non-Western partnerships; increasing broader use of the renminbi in international trade and investment while also promoting the building of a renminbi-based international financial infrastructure; and, as the global economy is decarbonizing, improving the role of the renminbi in global commodities pricing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the discovery of two rare, well-preserved fossil lampreys in northern China from the middle of the Jurassic period, providing insight into lamprey evolution and suggesting that the ancestors of modern lampreys were flesh eaters rather than blood feeders.

Purpose: This study aims to improve the offshore wind farm (OWF) site selection evaluation index system and establishes a decision-making model for OWF site selection. It is expected to provide helpful references for the progress of offshore wind power. Design/methodology/approach: Firstly, this paper establishes an evaluation criteria system for OWF site selection, considering six criteria (wind resource, environment, economic, technical, social and risk) and related subcriteria. Then, the Criteria Importance Though Intercrieria Correlation (CRITIC) method is introduced to figure out the weights of evaluation indexes. In addition, the cumulative prospect theory and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (CPT-TOPSIS) method are employed to construct the OWF site selection decision-making model. Finally, taking the OWF site selection in China as an example, the effectiveness and robustness of the framework are verified by sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis. Findings: This study establishes the OWF site selection evaluation system and constructs a decision-making model under the spherical fuzzy environment. A case of China is employed to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the model. Originality/value: In this paper, a new decision-making model is proposed for the first time, considering the ambiguity and uncertainty of information and the risk attitudes of decision-makers (DMs) in the decision-making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: At present, the scale of China's floating population has reached 376 million people. Compared with the local inhabitants, the poverty problem of the floating population is more complex, and this problem should also attract the attention of all sectors of society. This paper aims to measure and analyze the multidimensional poverty of the floating population in China. Design/methodology/approach: The data used in this paper are the data of the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) in China. This survey is a large-scale national migratory population sampling survey organized by the China National Health Commission, covering 31 provinces (autonomous regions and cities) and other autonomous regions. This paper uses the dynamic monitoring and Alkire and Foster (A-F) method to study the multidimensional poverty problem of the floating population. Findings: This study finds that income poverty is no longer the main type of poverty faced by the floating population. The multidimensional poverty of the floating population mainly occurs in the social security and education dimensions, of which social security has become the most severe poverty dimension of the floating population. From the perspective of group differences, compared with the floating population in urban areas, the multidimensional poverty of migrant workers is more serious. However, the poverty of migrant workers is mainly concentrated in one-dimensional poverty and two-dimensional poverty. Social implications: In the future, the authors should focus on the social security of the floating population in the place of influx and the education of the floating population. Originality/value: Through the review of the existing literature, the authors find that the current research on the multidimensional poverty of the floating population is mainly concentrated on the migrant worker groups that move from rural areas to urban areas. However, insufficient attention is paid to the urban floating population groups moving between cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers from Harbin Normal University in China have conducted a study on the motivation and path of promoting local internationalization of universities in China. The study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the internationalization of education and suggests strategies for its development. The researchers emphasize the importance of politics, policy, and economy in driving local internationalization, and propose measures such as improving laws and regulations, providing diverse teaching methods, and training domestic teachers. The study concludes that local internationalization should be promoted through policy, curriculum, and teacher development. [Extracted from the article]