中国集成电路增值税优惠案的反思

中国加入WTO后被诉第一案是中国集成电路增值税优惠案。美国、加拿大、欧盟等国家或组织指控我国集成电路产品增值税即征即退政策违反了我国在《关税与贸易总协定》(GATT)第1条和第3条、《中国加入议定书》及《服务贸易总协定》(GATS)第17条下的义务。本文针对这些指控进行了全面分析,提出了相应观点和看法。     

An assessment of alternative empirical measures of cultural distance: Evidence from the Republic of Korea

This study assesses the relative merits of alternative cultural frameworks as the basis to construct indices of cultural distance using the one introduced by Kogut and Singh (1988). We assess not only Hofstede (1980, 1991) but also the more recent Schwartz (1994, 2003) and GLOBE (2004) frameworks. Using primary data collected through a questionnaire survey of 228 foreign manufacturing firms in the Republic of Korea, we find consistently across the three different frameworks that cultural distance has a positive association with full ownership. These results support not only the robustness of Kogut and Singh’s method to construct an index of cultural distance but also the consistency of the alternative indices of cultural distance used to explain ownership mode decisions by MNEs.

丝绸之路经济带背景下哈萨克斯坦投资壁垒及中国的对策研究

随着丝绸之路经济带构想的提出,中国将深化与沿线中亚国家的经济合作,将有更多的中国企业进入中亚国家投资。但目前中亚各国还存在众多投资壁垒,以哈萨克斯坦为例,其存在审批与监管壁垒、国家安全壁垒、本地化要求壁垒、社会责任壁垒等多种壁垒,中国应通过制定完备的对外投资法律体系,建立完善的海外投资保险制度,构建新型的投资壁垒调查制度,用尽当地救济,推动完善双边、区域或多边投资协定等方面的措施,从国内和国际两个层面完善制度建设,同时加强与中亚各国的政策协调和沟通,消除投资壁垒,实现投资的便利化。     

Cost-effectiveness of denosumab versus zoledronic acid for preventing skeletal-related events in the Czech Republic

Aims: This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of the subcutaneous RANKL inhibitor, denosumab, vs the intravenous bisphosphonate, zoledronic acid, for the prevention of skeletal-related events (SREs) in patients with prostate cancer, breast cancer, and other solid tumors (OST) in the Czech Republic.

Materials and methods: A lifetime Markov model was developed to compare the effects of denosumab and zoledronic acid on costs (including drug costs and administration, patient management, SREs, and adverse events), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios from a national payer perspective. Different discount rates, time horizons, SRE rates, distributions, and nature (asymptomatic vs all SREs), and the inclusion of treatment discontinuation were considered in scenario analyses. The robustness of the model was tested using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Results: Across tumor types, denosumab was associated with fewer SREs, improved QALYs, and higher total costs over a lifetime. The incremental cost per QALY gained for denosumab vs zoledronic acid was 382,673 CZK for prostate cancer, 408,450 CZK for breast cancer, and 608,133 CZK for OST. Incremental costs per SRE avoided for the same tumor type were 54,007 CZK, 51,765 CZK, and 94,426 CZK, respectively. In scenario analyses, the results remained similar to baseline, when different discount rates and time horizons were considered. At a non-official willingness-to-pay threshold of 1.2 million CZK, the probabilities of denosumab being cost-effective vs zoledronic acid were 0.64, 0.67, and 0.49 for prostate cancer, breast cancer, and OST, respectively.

Limitations: The SRE rates used were obtained from clinical trials; studies suggest rates may be higher in clinical practice. Additional evidence on real-world SRE rates could further improve the accuracy of the modeling.

Conclusions: Compared with zoledronic acid, denosumab provides a cost-effective treatment option for the prevention of SREs in patients with prostate cancer, breast cancer, and OST in the Czech Republic.     

Comparative evolutionary trends in environmental policy: Reflections on tourism development

As tourism is an industry that involves the environment and natural resources, its physical and social impacts have reached a point where they can be no longer neglected. Numerous conferences and conventions have taken place, and the tourism industry has initiated not only intellectual campaigns, but also action programmes. the tourism industry and its “environmentally friendly” movement, however, do not stand on their own; they are often influenced by national environmental policies. In this paper, the current national environmental policies of Britain, Germany, China, Taiwan and Japan are summarised and differences in their respective emphases are highlighted along with the resulting implication for tourism. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of multinationals on host economies: A CGE approach

This paper offers a new perspective regarding the effects on a host economy of the entry of multinational enterprises (MNEs). We use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) approach, through a version of the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) model extended to incorporate MNEs. The analysis is applied to the Czech Republic, a country that has received substantial inflows of foreign direct investment in the last few years. A special attention has been paid to the issue of profit repatriation. We find that the negative effects of profit repatriation are sizeable, and might even offset the positive impact of the entry of MNEs.     

Promoting Friendship on the Road to Development

As Bangladesh celebrated its 37th anniversary of Independence and National Day on March 26, China＇s Foreign Trade interviewed H.E.Mr.Munshi Faiz Ahmad,Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bangladesh to the People＇s Republic of China.＂Bangladesh and China enjoy traditional friendship for a long time.For example,Xuan Zang （the Chinese Buddhist monk famous for his＂Journey to the West＂during the Tang dynasty） and Admiral Zheng He （the great Chinese navigator from the Ming dynasty） visited Bengal in their respective times.     

中日韩3国农产品在美国市场的竞争关系分析

运用产品相似度指数和显示性竞争优势指数,对中日韩3国农产品在美国市场的总体竞争关系、竞争强度和竞争力进行了测算。得出的结论是:中日韩3国农产品在美国市场存在较为明显的竞争关系,某些农产品的竞争强度有上升趋势,但竞争力相差还是较为明显。研究结论可为日后中国农产品贸易的发展提供借鉴。     

民国时期的造“国民”与造“民族”——由王明珂《民族与国民在边疆:以历史语言研究所早期民族考察为例的探讨》一文说起

王明珂《民族与国民在边疆:以历史语言研究所早期民族考察为例的探讨》一文触及一个重要议题,即民国时期中国学者最重要、最紧迫的工作是"造民族"还是"造国民"。其所涉1929年黎光明"造国民"与1933年芮逸夫等人"造民族"活动的历史,值得再作深入探讨。两相对照,不难发现,运用西方民族学知识在中国边疆地区识别不同群体的"造民族"是一条便捷的道路,但"民族"意识被催生后所带来的离心力无法忽视;在各族民众中构建国家认同,"造国民"是一条艰辛、漫长、曲折,却仍然必行的道路。     

Applying evaluation criteria for the land consolidation effect to three contrasting study areas in the Czech Republic

Land consolidation (LC) is a tool for improving the effectiveness of land cultivation and for supporting rural development. In the Czech Republic it is, in addition, used to remedy the damages and wrongs caused by 40 years of suppression of land ownership. This paper investigates the specific conditions and various outcomes of LC in three study areas, focusing on the evaluation criteria of land ownership and plot arrangement before and after LC. The three study areas contain contrasting observed features, and they therefore provide a good illustration of a whole range of factors that can affect the rate of LC. The author designed LC projects in each of the study areas between 1994 and 2003, and defined two sets of criteria for ex ante and ex post evaluation based on size, shape and juxtaposition of the plots, on the natural and social conditions, and on the economic benefits and advantages of LC for the landowners. The relationship between the ex ante criteria and the three LC indicators was analyzed using a multiple regression approach. The results show that the initial conditions had a strong effect on the outcomes of the LC programmes. Defining the criteria and the models for the Czech Republic will help to improve the methodological principles underlying LC projects, and it will also support the decision-making processes of the LC authorities in order to optimize the allocation of limited funds.