Much Lost,Little Gained? Contemporary Trade Agreements in the Pacific Islands

At the close of the 20th century, it was increasingly clear that Pacific Island countries would struggle to remain competitive in international commodity and merchandise trade. As governments worldwide embraced free trade, many Island exporters looked set to be displaced by more efficient producers elsewhere. Island policymakers also faced pressure from more powerful states to renegotiate trading arrangements to bring them into alignment with the rules of the World Trade Organization. This article explains how Pacific Island countries responded to the overlapping challenges of globalization. It considers strategies pursued by Island states in negotiations with the European Union (EU), and with Australia and New Zealand. In both cases, Pacific Islands pressed for agreements that would take account of their unique trading circumstances, and arrangements that would allow more Pacific Islanders to work abroad. After nearly two decades of talks, however, final results proved disappointing. A proposed regional Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU was essentially abandoned, and a regional trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand was concluded without the signature of Fiji or Papua New Guinea – the two largest Pacific Island economies. Ultimately, contemporary trade agreements in the Pacific achieved little to ameliorate the competitive disadvantages Pacific Island states face participating in international trade.     

治学不为媚时语惟寻真知启后人 --朱绍侯先生访谈录

朱绍侯先生是我国当代著名的历史学家,半个世纪来笔耕不辍,在中国古代史的诸多领域都取得了突出的学术成就。在对他的访谈中,内容涉及到了其治学经历、主要学术成果、学术风格及他长期形成的史学观和方法论等诸多方面。最后,朱先生还对当前学术研究的环境和风气提出了自己的评判,并对21世纪的中国古代史研究做出了乐观的展望。     

五代至元西安城垣范围及建制特点

本文在占有详实资料和实地考察的基础上,运用城市历史地理学方法,分析了五代至元时期与西安城(新城)督建者韩建有关的两个问题,探讨了此时期西安城的城垣范围及其建制特点,并揭示出西安城城墙、城门和城角的具体特征,从而全面地揭示了五代至元西安城垣的面貌。