The Westphalian model of international relations has given us a zero-sum game of winners and losers that has proven to be ineffective in addressing the pressing issues of our times. Philosopher Zhao Tingyang has argued that by conceptualizing international relations from the planetary perspective of tianxia, we can develop a sense of “worldness” that at once acknowledges the plurality of moral ideals defining of the world’s cultures and seeks practical ways to formulate a shared m...

The rise of authoritarian populism and declining popular confidence in democratic institutions has, of late, prompted many declarations that democracy is in crisis. Nevertheless, democracy still enjoys its supremacy in contemporary political discourse, with limited meaningful alternatives. Few of today's authoritarian leaders publicly denounce democracy; instead, they are more inclined to present their regimes as democracies. Furthermore, public opinion surveys show that ordinary citizens ...

With the methodology of eye-tracking experiments, in-depth interviews, and large-scale questionnaires across cities, this book provides a panoramic vision of digital reading and social interaction among the new generations in China.Growing up under the background of social transformation, cultural integration, and technological progress, digital reading of the Chinese net generation presents complex characteristics. People born in the 1980s and 90s are better educated, have democra...

With the rapid evolution of wireless communication technologies, emerging applications like autonomous driving, telemedicine, and virtual reality are becoming integral to modern life. These advancements have significantly increased computing demands and coverage requirements, posing challenges for traditional systems and resource-constrained devices. Unmanned aerial vehicle-assisted mobile edge computing (UAV-assisted MEC) offers an innovative solution, enabling rapid deployment of communi...

This book delves into the cutting-edge field of person re-identification (ReID), a critical area within deep learning and computer vision. Addressing key challenges in current ReID models, it presents novel research combining automated machine learning (AutoML) techniques across three core aspects: data augmentation, network architecture, and loss functions.Readers will discover five innovative methods designed to overcome specific limitations in existing ReID systems. These includ...

This book focuses on the integration of blockchain technology for IoT systems, exploring the methodologies behind each component of the system to bolster the data security and protect privacy. It also discusses the essential algorithms necessary for the efficient implementation of blockchain in IoT systems to provide security and privacy. With the advancement of Internet of Things (IoT), ensuring data security and privacy has become a critical concern due to the significant economic value ...

Toward Better Governance in China takes a fresh look at the latest efforts made by Chinese leaders to promote governance-based reform. It asserts that the improvement of governance has now become one of the breakthrough points of the much anticipated political reform. Although the Chinese government continues to play down expectations about political reform, many small-scale reform experiments have been quietly undertaken by Chinese leaders at various levels in recent years, inclu...

Using steel and concrete together utilizes the beneficial material properties of both elements. Concrete filled steel tubes represent a good example of a concrete - steel composite structure, and are particularly useful as columns in high rise buildings and bridge piers. They can be used in a range of fields, from civil and industrial construction

This book systematically reviews the theoretical origins, methodological applications, and empirical studies of agricultural technological progress and productivity research since 1949. What is agricultural technological progress and productivity, and how is it measured? How has the contribution of agricultural technological progress in China changed since the founding of New China? What are the causes of agricultural technological progress in China? What are the problems of existing resea...

The two-volume set, LNCS 15434 and 15435, constitutes the refereed post-conference proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Combinatorial Optimization and Applications, COCOA 2024, held in Beijing, China, during December 6–8, 2024.The 53 full papers included in the proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 124 submissions. They deal with combinatorial optimization and its applications, including algorithm design, theoretical and experimental analysis, and app...

The two-volume set, LNCS 15434 and 15435, constitutes the refereed post-conference proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Combinatorial Optimization and Applications, COCOA 2024, held in Beijing, China, during December 6–8, 2024.The 53 full papers included in the proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 124 submissions. They deal with combinatorial optimization and its applications, including algorithm design, theoretical and experimental analysis, and app...

This book reviews the state-of-the-art in stem-cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, and highlights advances in both animal models and clinical trials. It comprehensively discusses most neurodegenerative diseases, including such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington’s diseases, amyotrophic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and retinal degeneration, in which stem cells could potentially be used for therapy in the future. It also addresses the challenges a...