Tricky business: Swiss perceptions of informal imperialism in China in the 1920s

This article analyzes the role that commercial interests played in Swiss perceptions of informal imperialism in China during the 1920s. Commercial interests were the driving force behind the establishment of Swiss relations with China in 1918 and Swiss rejections of Chinese demands to abolish extraterritoriality in the 1920s. Swiss commercial relations with China were deeply rooted in the social, economic, and political institutions and processes developed by informal imperialism in China. During the Chinese antiforeign agitation in the 1920s, the Swiss press criticized the unequal treaties as an example of imperialism in China but ignored Switzerland’s participation in it. This discrepancy between the official and media perceptions of Swiss commercial interests in China was caused by the fact that Switzerland’s dependence on privileges connected to the unequal treaties clashed with Swiss national mythology, which was based on neutrality and anti-imperial narratives. Moreover, the negligible importance attributed to Swiss trade with China and the increasing focus on the nationality of foreign companies in China allowed the Swiss media to ignore Swiss commercial interests in China. As a result, Swiss complicity in informal imperialism was downplayed by the Swiss press, which ignored the importance of Swiss commerce to Sino–Swiss relations.     

Foreign Banking in China: A Study of 279 Branch Units in 32 Cities

Two China-based geographers examine the gradual relaxation of restrictions on the activity of foreign banks in China as a prelude to a more focused investigation of the concentrated locational pattern of foreign banking in that country. The study, which embraces 32 Chinese cities, emphasizes the factors that have attracted foreign banks to particular cities and regions of China, including the existence of special banking opportunities, the so-called "follow-the customer" strategy, externalities associated with major financial centers such as Beijing and Shanghai, relaxed banking regimes in particular urban centers and special economic zones, and exposure to international trade and to a variety of foreign business enterprises. The locational preferences of foreign banks in relation to their countries of origin are addressed in some detail.     

稻盛哲学中的中日商业文化差异

日本是现在世界上商业水平较为发达的国家,其商业文化与近邻中国存在明显的不同之处。正是日本独特的商业文化孕育出了稻盛和夫这样的世界一流企业家。在日本历史上,像稻盛这样,既能出色地管理企业,又具备系统的哲学理念者,不乏其人。本文从商人阶层悬殊的社会地位、商业文化不同的开端和发展以及商业伦理的不同内涵等方面入手,比较了中日两国商业文化的状况。本文最后分析了日本出现“商人思想家”群体的原因,力求对我国的商业发展和企业改革提供一定的借鉴。     

中国传统工商业城市在近代的衰落

Resulted from different causes, the majority of traditional cities in modern China underwent a decline in various degrees. The causes of the decline of Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou which have started to develop their new industry and commerce since mid-Qing Dynasty lies in such aspects as: the lose of transportation superiority in modern China; the fatal destruction caused by Taiping Revolution; the affects of the rising of Shanghai; the recession of traditional economy and slowed development of new economy; and the conservatism in thinking and ideas etc. Translated by Huang Bangfu from Xinan Minzu Daxue Xuebao 西南民族大学学报 (Journal of Southwest University for Nationalities), 2007, (4): 1–11     

转型期中国城市网络空间结构演变——基于商业银行分支机构网络的视角

21世纪以来,城市网络研究成为全球和区域城市体系研究关注的焦点,但当前对国家层面城市网络空间结构演变的研究还较少涉及。基于2001—2016年间中国商业银行网点空间分布变化数据,运用社会网络分析方法,对中国城市网络空间结构的时空演变特征进行了研究。研究结果显示：中国城市网络结构由等级化向网络化转变,具体表现为在轴辐结构基础上向连通性更强的链锁网络演进;与此同时,城市网络同时呈现少数城市网络连接度的极化以及多中心扩散的特征。区域层面,东部沿海地区,特别是长三角、京津冀和珠三角三大区域的城市网络发展较为完善,与其它区域的差距持续拉大,但山东、东北和福建等省份与区域内外的联系增长也较快。大多数城市的出度和入度差异明显,但这一差异正在逐渐缩小。     

唐长安商业空间形态分析

通过对长安城市外商业点空间分布、存在时间和经营业种的分析,重新认识长安城商业空间发展演变的特点。早期都城的商业空间形态呈封闭对称的双核心结构,中唐以后,随着城市经济的发展和居民生活的需要,商业点突破市坊限制,在朱雀街东以皇城景风门外诸坊和以东市为核心的部分坊里内相对集中分布,形成了以东市为核心的商业区,在朱雀街西则分布较少,在外城城关处仅有零星商业点的分布,没有形成综合性的商业功能空间。所以唐代中后期长安城商业空间形态表现为“一核、一区型”结构特征。     

The Failure of ‘Liberal Developmentalism’: The United States's Anti-Communist Showcase in Guatemala, 1954–1960

This article examines the British involvement in the reorganisation of the Ottoman Empire's customs service. The study focuses particularly on the role of Sir Richard Crawford, who was appointed as a consultant to the Ottoman customs administration in 1909. In doing so, the article sheds fresh light on the position of European advisers as well as on British commercial diplomacy in the Ottoman Empire during the years preceding the First World War. This topic warrants further historical research as previous studies have not considered Crawford's position and the progress of the customs reform in detail. He introduced some important reforms, but proved unable to solve the complex question over the porterage service or to increase customs revenue as much as had been anticipated. War and revolution as well as the consequent disruption of trade; the vast geographical scope of the Ottoman Empire; and opposition from local and international stakeholders to his reforms explain to some extent why Crawford was unable to modernise the customs service as effectively as had been planned. In addition, Crawford's professional background and his personal characteristics were in some ways incompatible with the requirements of the demanding diplomatic world of Constantinople.     

北京王府井大街消费行为的空间特征分析

根据对北京市王府井大街消费者调查所获数据的分析,以地块为分析单位从空间角度探讨消费者的行为特征,包括人流、停留人次、消费金额、人均消费金额等要素的空间分布的基本特征以及入口、回游、出口各阶段的空间特征,以认识消费行为的复杂性和影响因素的多样性。
研究发现:总消费额与消费者人数的相关性远高于人均消费,显示了商业街经济活动以量取胜的现实;是否位于步行街区域及是否设有大型百货公司的影响在每个层面都得到了很明显的体现;另外由于公共交通所决定的出入口区也影响到了附近地块的商业表现。对出入口位置以及起始、回游、结束三地块消费者的人流分布的分析表明:位于起始消费阶段的消费者的人均消费额要远高于其他阶段。消费者的回游流动特点:①具有沿步行街区域由南向北的明显方向性;②相邻地块回游较为频繁;③步行街内部回游频繁,以外地区,特别是离主要出入口较远的北部区域鲜有人的活动;④大型百货之间的回游,特别是对面地块之间的互串较为频繁,最大的回游出现在新东安市场-北京市百货大楼。