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Transnational routes such as direct-entry have become a more attractive option for Chinese students, due to the pandemic-imposed travel restrictions in China. The rise of Chinese direct-entry students can potentially lead to a significant increase in demand for academic and non-academic support not only after their arrival, but also before their departure from China. By applying Schlossberg's transition theory, this paper seeks to develop a good understanding of the academic and social belonging of Chinese direct-entry students in the UK through re-analysing the portraits (written narratives) of a previous research project. The findings indicate that these students were feeling disconnected from the academic and social communities. The factors affecting their sense of belonging are described using the 4S framework, namely self, strategies, situation and support. The paper ends with recommendations to key university stakeholders on how the partner institutions in China and the UK can help enhance a sense of academic and social belongingness of Chinese direct-entry students.

In recent years, many companies obtain financing by improving their ESG scores. This inevitably affects the financial performance of enterprises. We provide a view that companies should balance non-financial and financial performance rather than only increasing ESG scores. High ESG score companies that are not profitable will not perform well in the market. By applying the coupling coordination model (CCM) and China's listed firm data from 2010 to 2022, we assess the coupling coordination between ESG and financial performance among listed companies in China. We found that the overall level of corporate coupling coordination in China is not high, locating at the transitional stage. East, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Chengdu-Chongqing City Group, and foreign firms have a higher level of coupling coordination. Northeast, Yellow River Basin, and private enterprises perform poorly. Coupling coordination is higher for firms that are larger, more capital intensive, and more socially responsible. From the decomposition results, improving corporate coupling coordination needs to focus on enhancing the E (environmental) score and S (social) score in the non-financial performance, as well as the growth capacity and profitability in the financial performance. The innovation of this paper is that it assesses the firm's coupling coordination from the perspective of balancing ESG and financial performance. It provides a warning to firms that focus too much on ESG scores. Enterprises should avoid excessive focus on ESG that leads to poor financial performance. • We analyzed the coupling between financial and non-financial (ESG) performance of more than 1000 listed firms in China. • Chinese listed companies' coupling coordination improves, but overall level is low from 2010 to 2022. • The East, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and foreign enterprises performed better in terms of coupling coordination. • Improving coupling coordination requires boosting environmental score, social score, growth capacity, and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the interplay between innovation, economic systems, governance structures, and law, and how they interact with one another in the context of China and Ethiopia's investments in the Digital Silk Road. The way cutting-edge methods related to governance and economic systems might help lower the risks involved in major infrastructure projects, like the Digital Silk Road, particularly in light of law and 5G developments, is investigated. China–Africa connections are to be strengthened, sustainable development is to be encouraged, and healthy economic progress is the goal of the partnership between Ethiopia and the Hainan Free Trade Port. The impact of these transnational investments on fair growth and sustainable development is assessed, while exploring the evolving agendas and procedures governing investments. This research draws attention to how the law and legal cooperation between Ethiopia and China may promote mutually advantageous outcomes, promote transparency and governance mechanisms, and lessen the likelihood of disputes. This research on the factors influencing the future of the Digital Silk Road and its consequences for long-term, sustainable economic growth, and business in the area, aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers, development professionals, and academics, and for the copromotion of China and Ethiopia in terms of digital investment. This research relates to the promotion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in terms of construction and economic development. It also examines how the DSR raises concerns about data security and privacy, cross-border transactions, technology transfer, and cyberterrorism, as well as encourages digital investment, such as through enhancing digital governance regulations, modernizing international investment agreements (IIAs), and bolstering global health, coordination, and cooperation; the article concludes by analyzing the implications for Africa. The findings show that such cooperation would support Africa's digital transformation and sustainable development, while strengthening China–Africa cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]