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Against the complex backdrop of heightened global geo-economic tensions and risks following the outbreak of Russian-led military aggression in Ukraine, our article aims primarily to examine and retrospectively assess the profound disruptive effects caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war, while seeking to synthesise and capture simultaneously the destabilising impact of the ongoing conflict on the rules-based international order, on the global and regional economy, and on societies, governments, communities and institutions worldwide. With this last point in mind, in a separate section of our paper we will examine the consequences of the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe since the Second World War and the concerted financial efforts made by the world's states to respond promptly and effectively to the exodus of Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around a quarter of a century since Germany was labelled "the sick man of Europe" for the first time, the weak performances the federal economy experienced this year brought the country back to the centre of European and international debates regarding the likely risks posed by the possible lengthening or acceleration of the current cycle of economic decline. While, in the past, the triggers of the first stage of profound contraction experienced by Germany were mainly endogenous (i.e. huge costs required by the completion of the reunification process, a stagnant labour market, an excessive taxation system etc.), at present they are mainly based on the interaction of destabilising forces of exogenous origin: the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, followed and amplified by the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the resulting energy crisis. Against the background of the recent geopolitical context, our article seeks to provide a comparative analysis (past vs. present) of the two recession phases that Germany went through, revealing both the causes of their occurrence, and the steps taken (or envisaged) by the national decision-makers to help the federal economy recover and to relaunch growth. We will also highlight in our research the potential domino effects for the other European Union Member States, which could be triggered by a lengthy or profound German recession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of the recent intensification of global geopolitical tensions and, in this framework, of the announcement made by the German authorities regarding a future "historic turning point" (Zeitenwende) in the country's foreign policy, meant to contribute (among others) to the reduction of the economic dependence on countries with a totalitarian regime, our research aims at obtaining an in-depth image of the current status of the economic relations between Germany and China. Based on the quantitative measurement analyses performed, the article emphasises China's role and importance for the German traditional export-centred development model, as well as the challenges resulting from the deepening of these interdependencies. At the same time, we emphasise, on the one hand, the strategic motivations underlying the orientation of Chinese investment flows towards the acquisition of German high technology and related knowhow, as well as the factors that determine the accelerating trend of German investments on the Chinese market and, on the other hand, the risks that German companies face at present as a result of China's increased assertiveness on the international stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Global Economics / Revista de Economie Mondială is the property of Institute for World Economy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Global Economics / Revista de Economie Mondială is the property of Institute for World Economy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recognizing from a very early stage the capacity of advanced technologies (and of biotechnologies in particular) to fundamentally change the economy, the geopolitics, and the society of the 21st century, Chinese authorities placed the development of the biotechnology sector among the top national priorities and, as a result, adopted political strategies and programmes meant to help achieving this goal. In the context of the "Made in China 2025" Strategy, which, among others, sets out China's goal of becoming a world leader in the field of life sciences and of reducing the country's technological dependency, our article sets out to present the evolution of the Chinese investment policy over the recent years, which was focused on finding an optimum synergy between guiding foreign direct investment (FDI) in line with the country's own sectoral modernisation plans, and targeting its own outward direct investment (ODI) in accordance with the same interests. With the U.S. being the global biotechnology leader and, as a result, China's main competitor in the race for global supremacy in the field, our analysis will focus on highlighting the role and importance of bilateral China-U.S. investment flows for the development of the Chinese biotechnology sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) represents the core of EU strategy to develop the rural sector and to support the European farmers. This long reformed policy has shifted over the years to better adapt to undergoing challenges and new priorities of EU's rural space, evolving from granting direct support for production to a policy that encourages the European farmers to adopt climate friendly agricultural policies. After a brief review of the stages completed by the last reform of the CAP, this article sets out to analyse the objectives of the recently-adopted CAP, the innovative elements introduced, as well as the way in which the new approach will contribute to the achievement of the environmental protection and climate change goals, using as an example a relevant case study -- the impact of these reforms and new regulations in Germany. In the second part of the analysis, we will highlight the potential implications of the CAP green architecture on the German agricultural sector, given the particularities of the federal structure and pointing out at the same time several relevant indicators -- the evolution of direct payments (DP), of eco-schemes and of market measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Global Economics / Revista de Economie Mondială is the property of Institute for World Economy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

China's spectacular economic development over the last four decades or so, and its atypical evolution during this process placed the country both at the forefront of the global rare earth trade, and at the centre of international concerns and debates on the implications this ascent has on the regulations governing global trade. Now an uncontested contemporary reality, China's supremacy on the global rare earth market has fuelled the fears of strongly industrialised countries for the future security of the supply of these raw materials, as a direct result of the extent to which Chinese governmental authorities will from now on choose to comply or not to comply with the international trade rules and practices in force. In these conditions, our article seeks to provide an overview of the evolution of Chinese policies in the field of rare earths, of how they helped transform natural resources endowment into a competitive advantage, and of the recent trends on this global market on which China is the leader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2020 was the 21st century's most disruptive and unsettling year to the date, generating an exceptionally strained economic and geopolitical context worldwide, and in Russia in particular. The rapid spreading of the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing sanitary and economic crises that followed several years of economic slowdown, the oil-price war with Saudi Arabia, the recently created "entente" with China against Western allies and the continuing alienation from the West represented just several of the challenges that Russia faced. Furthermore, the Covid-19 crisis proved to be an unprecedented test for Russian decision-makers, demonstrating that despite the self-isolation policy applied during the recent years, the national economy is still extremely sensitive to external shocks and is not able to withstand them alone. In this new general context, our paper aims to assess the resilience of the Russian economy in the face of the Covid-19 crisis by analysing its main vulnerabilities, as well as the current validity of the national strategies and alliances, and the new potential opportunity revealed by the crisis -that of reopening the dialogue with Western economies with the view of improving bilateral relations and future cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the political measures adopted at a very early stage by the Chinese central authorities aiming to regulate and guide the inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) in line with its own industrial modernisation strategies and then to guide outward direct investments (ODI) in accordance with the same national interests, in conjunction with the sustained efforts made in recent years towards supporting and stimulating research, development and innovation (RDI) to create a knowledge-based economy, China gradually bridged the gap that was separating it from the technological frontier, becoming one of the main contenders in the race for global supremacy in the technological field. In the conditions thus described, the analysis conducted in this article seeks to showcase the shift in direction that occurred in recent year in relation to the sectoral scope of Chinese FDI and ODI which, based on well "targeted" national policies seeks to support the new Chinese development model, based on cutting-edge technology and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the very onset of the coronavirus epidemic, the German authorities adopted a set of rigorous measures meant to protect population health by drastically limiting social contact and partly discontinuing economic activity, in order to slow down the spreading of the virus and avoid a possible collapse of the healthcare system. This well targeted strategy was combined with the amplest economic relief package in the country’s post-war history, which made Germany the world leader in terms of effectiveness of government measures adopted for combatting the effects of the crisis generated by the Covid-19 epidemic. In the context described, this article aims to review the measures adopted by Germany to combat the epidemic and limit the economic effects of the subsequent crisis, while also pointing out the budget impact of these measures and the need to abandon the traditional federal policy focused on maintaining a balanced budget. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the debate about Sino-Russian relations is on the rise and draws the attention of many international analysts and policy makers. With bilateral cooperation increasing in recent years, an evident rapprochement is now occurring. This article aims at emphasising the common economic and geopolitical interests behind this new-era relationship, taking into account the recent economic and security pressures coming from the U.S. that created a common ground for the two countries, as well as the historical key-role played by trade and investment and by the energy link. Furthermore, the paper will argue the implications that this strategic economic and political partnership has on the transition in the balance of power in a unipolar world (currently led by U.S.) towards a more complex alignment. Having large natural resources, huge territory and a numerous population, both countries remain geopolitical forces in today's world. After the sanctions, Russia is currently building a strong economic partnership with China (through the Far East Initiative). It is our opinion that this new global power dynamics that sees China and Russia increasingly supporting each other on the world stage could moderate U.S. global influence leading to a new international equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural Development Plans (RDPs) are an instrument that Member States may use to target various development goals in rural areas, by means of a series of specific measures. Compared to the Direct Payment instrument, RDPs offer significantly increased flexibility because Member States are able to design the financial envelope in accordance with their national specificity while complying with the principles imposed by the latest Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform. By using a comparative analysis based on national data as well as on the statistics provided by DG Agriculture & Rural Development, our paper will examine how RDPs have effectively contributed to the support of sustainable development in the EU rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper bases its analytical approach on two assumptions: the first refers to a significant change taking place in the contemporary world economy -- the phenomenon of multipolarity -- and proposes a new concept, that of multi-level manifestation of multipolarity; the second has in view the need of a new model of sustainable economic growth. In the context of these two points of view, the paper analyses the sharing economy as a potential significant contributor to sustainable economic growth. The conclusion of this research is that sharing economy has a huge potential of involving millions or even billions of participants and of capitalizing the existing assets while providing spill over effects in the economy. The authors expect sharing economy to become a form of economic activity that will complement traditional forms of business while generating positive economic, social and environmental effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides its past outstanding accomplishments in terms of extensive development, China has also accumulated multiple distortions and structural imbalances and has reached a crossroads, where a major qualitative switch is a must. Its outdated export-oriented economic model has covered both the factor-driven and investment-driven stages of development and now China needs to more firmly advance towards the stage of innovation-led growth, transiting from cheaply processing and assembling foreign-designed goods, using foreign-designed technologies and supplying foreign markets, to producing high quality, services-andknowledge- intensive products, using locally-devised technologies and meeting, primarily, its own domestic demand. This paper looks at the progress attained in recent years in the Chinese research, development and innovation system, sketching its landscape in terms of structure, endowment and goals, inputs and output improvement, significant shifts and trends paving the way to an innovation-driven economy, as well as to potential road-blocks on the way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Global Economics / Revista de Economie Mondială is the property of Institute for World Economy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Global Economics / Revista de Economie Mondială is the property of Institute for World Economy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In over three decades and a half of spectacular economic growth - starting in 1979 with the launch of reform processes and with the dynamic mutations from an autarchic to a global model - the introduction and implementation of the policies targeting the use and attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI) represented an exceptionally important stage in China's history of international "openness," playing an active role in the promotion, support and enhancement of its economic development. The aim of this article is to outline China's sinuous investment path, from the autarchic pattern followed by the stage of economic openness characterised by the application of the "open doors" policy and up to the rethinking of the development paradigm and the country's affirmation on the market as a new powerhouse in the global economy. Our research also aims to outline the implications that all these stages had on China's current position of world leader in terms of inward FDI. As such, by means of comparative, quantitative and qualitative analyses, we will examine the evolution in time and the external impact of policies regarding the attraction of FDI, as well as the strategy aiming at incentivising Chinese outward investment - a relatively recent phenomenon - and the related support measures, in order to identify the country's current development stage and its position in the global landscape, as well the possible challenges that China might face in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]