What Money Can’t Buy: The Security Externalities of Chinese Economic Statecraft in Post-War Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT

China’s growing trade, investment, and aid links are commonly believed to constitute a potent instrument of statecraft, generating important security externalities. Yet there is insufficient research tracing the precise mechanisms linking economic relationships between a “sender” and “target” state to actual influence in the security domain. We offer three contributions. First, we map out the theoretical mechanisms of influence in a sender–target relationship. Second, we empirically investigate these mechanisms through a case study of China’s economic influence in Sri Lanka since 2009. Third, we use our findings to generate new insights on the mechanisms of influence in the economic statecraft literature and the dynamics of great-power competition in South Asia. Beijing’s ability to convert its considerable economic resources into strategic influence in Sri Lanka is currently hampered by the poor planning and implementation of infrastructure projects, domestic politics, and Sri Lanka’s relationship with India, a regional competitor and rising power.     

Private sector participation in infrastructure for development

This article reflects on the variety of finance sources to African countries, including aid flows, remittances, development finance, private equity and bonds and foreign direct investment. In order to address the poverty challenge, estimated at about $66 billion annually, these finances must be applied appropriately in various economic sectors, in particular the infrastructure sectors. These include both physical assets (transport, energy, water and sanitation and information and communications) and social services (hospitals and clinics, education and low-income housing). Governments are ultimately responsible for ensuring access to infrastructure for their citizens. However, developing-country governments are unable to address the infrastructure backlogs, let alone develop new assets, especially in the least developed countries in Africa. Governments rely on alliances with international partners, development finance institutions and, importantly, the private sector. However, the rules of engagement with the private sector need to be redefined, with proper emphasis on bringing affordable yet quality access to poorer communities.     

Colt Technology Services v Ofcom – [2013] CAT 29 – Appealing a telecoms regulatory decision

A recent and interesting case (Colt v Office of Communications [2013] CAT 29) has shed some light on when and in what circumstances the decisions of the UK's telecoms regulator can be appealed.     

论“先进社会生产力”的科学内涵

社会生产力是生产满足人的生存和发展需要的社会生产的能力,先进的社会生产力既取决于科技水平,又取决于生产社会化水平的生产要素的市场化程度。     

江泽民文化建党思想研究

江泽民关于“先进文化代表”的思想对从文化上建设党的突出强调 ,标志着江泽民文化建党思想的初步形成。从文化上建设党才是江泽民“先进文化代表”思想的本义。本文对江泽民文化建党思想的现实指导意义、形成历程及理论架构进行了深入的探讨 ,并对如何贯彻执行江泽民文化建党思想即应如何从文化上建设党 ,作出了有益的探讨和思考。     

关于文化自觉与建设社会主义文化强国的若干思考

实现中华民族伟大历史复兴离不开建设社会主义文化强国,其核心是提升文化软实力,走自强之路。文化自强的前提是文化自信,根本是文化自觉。文化自觉的主要表现是发展社会主义先进文化,把握住中国文化的魂,坚持以人为本,着力于提高民族素质。     

知识型劳动者是当代先进社会生产力的中坚力量

当今世界正在从工业经济时代迈向知识经济时代 ,先进社会生产力的中坚力量将由体力型劳动者转向知识型劳动者。中国在实现社会主义现代化的过程中 ,知识型劳动者始终是开路先锋和中坚力量。因此 ,必须实施新人才政策 ,更好更多更快地培育人才、更广泛更合理地使用人才 ,保证现代化事业顺利实现。     

工会组织在抓先进典型工作中应注意的几个问题

通过抓先进典型 ,调动职工群众的积极性 ,是各级工会组织的一项经常性任务。总结宣传先进典型 ,只有坚持实事求是的原则 ,才能真正发挥指导、示范作用。     

Advanced Metering Infrastructure Deployment in the United States: The Impact of Polycentric Governance and Contextual Changes

Advanced metering infrastructure provides the first building block in smart grids by empowering customers and utilities with real‐time information regarding energy use. It is a key element in the U.S. government's push for electric grid modernization. Using a panel dataset for 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia over the years 2007–2012, we evaluate the impacts of a polycentric governance system and socioeconomic contexts on states' performance in smart metering deployment. We find that the advanced metering technological change in the United States has been exclusively created by the interdependencies and interactions between different layers of government. High‐tech industry is the only socioeconomic factor that has a negative impact on smart meter deployment, whereas other factors, such as pressures from energy consumers and environmental groups, and electric grid conditions, have negligible impacts.     

APEC:Seeking Common Development of the Asia-Pacific

Propelled by APEC and newly bolstered bilateral and multilateral relations between China and the Asia-Pacii c region, economic and trade relations between China and other major APEC members have witnessed bounding development.