How does ethnic diversity shape the design of intergovernmental fiscal relations? Evidence from China

This study examines how ethnic diversity shapes the design of intergovernmental fiscal relations in regimes such as China, where local accountability and resident mobility are largely absent. We argue that in these regimes, ethnic diversity largely captures potential social conflicts and instability, consequently requiring a higher level of fiscal centralization and regional equalization from upper-level governments to preserve social stability. Using provincial and sub-provincial level panel data from China for 1995–2019, we find strong supporting evidence that an increase in a province's ethnic diversity significantly increases fiscal centralization and the provincial government's fiscal equalization efforts. We also show that these effects tend to be stronger in provinces whose leaders have closer ties with the central authority and where local capture is less serious. Our study contributes to a better understanding of ethnic diversity's consequences on the policy choices governments make.     

转变经济发展方式的发展经济学考察

当前,世界经济处于脆弱的复苏期,这对于经济处于工业化中期阶段的中国来说既是挑战,也是进行结构调整,加速转变经济发展方式的战略机遇。要实现经济发展方式的良性转变,实现经济平稳增长,需要重新检视有关经济增长与发展的观念、政策,科学有效地推动经济发展方式的转变。     

CURRENT TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHINESE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons is the first social security legislation in China, with more than 50 laws directly related to the legal protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and career development for people with disabilities. In terms of employment protections for people with disabilities, it is important to focus on effective legal implementation, utilizing legal rulings to limit employment discrimination against people with disabilities. Educational protections are an important precondition for enabling people with disabilities to live with dignity; it should be guaranteed that people with disabilities are provided “reasonable accommodation” in educational conditions. A barrier-free environment is a necessary condition for social integration of people with disabilities. At the same time, it also benefits other members of the society such as the elderly. Through rehabilitation and exercise, most people with disabilities can return to the society to a significant degree. China should gradually expand the legislative scope of rehabilitation service fee reductions and legal categories of auxiliary appliances, issuing guiding documents that provide specifications for the relevant “dormant” legal provisions.     

THE WAY WALKED WITH CHILDREN: MEDICAL TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION

Due to obstacles in expression and communication, as well as a societal lack of humanitarian spirit and deficiencies in system design, children with intellectual disabilities are confronted with various problems when seeking medical treatment. The dilemma of medical treatment seriously restricts the survival and development of disabled groups. By reviewing the way in which a mother accompanied her disabled child for 28 years together, this article analyzed the reasons for the dilemmas of medical treatment, and appealed to improve the living conditions of persons with intellectual disabilities to guarantee their rights for rehabilitation. In addition, by introducing the recreational and sports activities that parents’ spontaneous organization created for children with intellectual disabilities, it put forward the proposal to prevent in advance the possible deterioration of conditions caused by social isolation, which is definitely a preferable remedy for persons with disabilities.     

RESEARCH ON THEORY,LEGISLATIONS AND PRACTICES ABOUT REGULATING NON-PRACTICING ENTITIES IN CHINA

Non-Practicing Entities (NPE), as a subject, is a neutral concept, but the derogatory sense of translation and understanding on this concept and the chaos of understanding make the legal regulation of NPE encounter more difficulties and challenges. In fact, NPE issues are concerned, discussed and researched in China within quite a long period, however, it would not become an outstanding legal issue nowadays. NPE as a market entity, its existence is legitimate per se, and what the law should focus on is the unfair conduct that NPE might be engaged in rather than the subject of NPE itself. It is not necessary to make specific articles and provisions on the subject of NPE at present in the Patent Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Anti-Unfair Competition Law of the PRC which are revised in China, and a serial of rules and guidelines for Anti-Monopoly Law of the PRC which are formulated in China. It proved that the unfair conducts of NPE should be regulated according to Patent law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law and Anti-Monopoly Law as well as, reconfirmed that the conclusion that the regulation of NPE in China laws focus on conducts rather than subject in a serial of cases such as the anti-monopoly investigation case against INTERDIGITAL Corporation initiated by the National Development and Reform Commission, the case that the Ministry of Commerce imposed restrictive conditions to approve that Microsoft acquired Nokia equipment and service business, and the commercial defamation case that Shenzhen Libang Precision Instrument Co., Ltd vs Shenzhen Mairui Biological Medical Electronic Co., Ltd which was reviewed by the Supreme People’s Court.     

THE GUIDING CASE SYSTEM IN CHINA’S MAINLAND

Starting from the establishment of the guiding case system in December 2010, the Supreme People’s Court of China has issued 31 guiding cases. This article discusses the background, purposes and functions, ways to function, and effects of the guiding case system. It compares it with ancient Chinese guiding case systems, and the common law system from these perspectives. Based on the analysis of these comparisons, this article argues that the current guiding case system is neither an extension of the ancient Chinese guiding case systems nor a transplant of the common law system. However, the current guiding case system and common law system have the tendency to become more and more similar systems in reality.     

浅析失地农民养老保险问题及对策

失地农民的养老保障问题随着城市化和工业化进程的加快日益突出,目前失地农民的养老保险主要纳入新型农村养老保险制度、单独建立失地农民的养老保险制度以及城镇基本养老保险制度等三种模式,随之带来的是养老保险的统筹水平低、保障水平低、覆盖面小以及农民参保积极性不高等问题,因此要完善养老保险制度,逐步实现统筹以及提高保障水平.