Challenges and Strategy Choices for China's Human Rights Development in the New Period

China＇s reforms have entered a new historical period. We need to carefully analyze the new challenges posed by the new historical stage to China＇s human rights development, in that it enables us to have a more clear view of our tasks and problems and make proper adjustment and improvement on China＇s human rights development strategies in accordance with environment.     

论我国农业保护的制度安排及政策选择

农业是个弱质产业,其特点是投资大、回收期长、风险高,具有特殊的食物安全及生态保护等多样化功能,这些特点和功能为农业保护提供了理论依据,而对农业实施保护是国际惯例。我国长期以来对农业实施的是负保护,导致了"三农"问题的深层次矛盾。必须通过合理的制度安排和政策选择,消除二元经济结构,解决好"三农"问题。现阶段,我国对农业的保护方面尚有许多可利用的空间,应该加大投入力度,积极调动和整合社会资源,力求形成政策合力,使其发挥最大效用,实现农业持续稳定发展的目标。     

Government with a Cast of Dozens: Policy Capacity Risks and Policy Work in the Northern Territory

There are a number challenges to maintaining high‐quality policy capacity in sparsely populated areas such as Australia's Northern Territory (e.g. natural resource dependent economy, prominence of Indigenous issues, provision of local services). Moreover, the Territory government has recently been undergoing a host of public sector changes. This paper utilises survey methodologies of policy workers that were recently developed in Canada and examines nine risk factors to policy work. A survey of 119 policy workers in the Northern Territory was conducted in 2013. The analysis examined four key policy‐work areas (policy activities, barriers, areas for improved policy capacity, nature of change in work environment). The survey findings offer some practical insights for managers. Formal policy‐work training is recognised as critical. Policy capacity may be increased through better inter‐departmental (and potentially inter‐governmental) cooperation and information sharing, more opportunities to engage with non‐governmental stakeholders, and more opportunities for those leaving the full‐time Northern Territory policy workforce to continue to contribute. From a conceptual point of view, the extent to which ‘policy capacity’ as commonly conceived in the literature is applicable to contexts, such as Australia's Northern Territory, warrants further examination.     

Harmonization of Environmental Regulations When Firms are Judgment Proof

In an environmental setting, we examine different forms of harmonization based on either strict liability or negligence assuming the firm is judgment proof. When there is competition in standard setting then negligence dominates strict liability if there is upward pressure on standards. This upward pressure on standards arises as jurisdictions attempt to raise negligence standards. The desire to raise standards is affected by the degree of judgment proofness.