The year of 2024 marked the twelfth anniversary of the cooperative mechanism between China and Central and Eastern European countries (China-CEEC). China has repeatedly affirmed its willingness to implement the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which created many opportunities to enhance the cooperation of the two sides. The paper exemplified some cases in the process of the cooperation, which were rarely discussed previously as normally it was dominated by the large-scale investment project. The cases of the climate change and ocean issues were perceived as a package of holistic EU-China relations that demonstrates the commitments from both sides to deal with SDG 13 and SDG 14. A qualitative method of the policy-circle evaluation and the goal-setting in the global governance was applied in the paper. The findings affirm that the current China-CEEC cooperation scheme is still carrying on both opportunities and challenges and affected by various internal and external factors.

The global agreement on environmentally friendly policies puts pressure on businesses to implement good practices to increase legitimacy in a competitive environment. This research aims to examine business dynamic capabilities and value creation processes through the concept of green dynamic marketing capabilities. This concept addresses the ability of businesses to absorb, manage information and accumulate new knowledge that fuels innovative endeavors. The dynamic capability view and customer value theory are integrated to theoretically explain the value creation process of market-orientated innovative products. A total of 58 global companies in Clean200 were sampled. A quantitative approach was conducted to measure the effect of organizational learning (environment management team, environment management training, environment supply chain management) on green innovation (environmental innovation score, eco design product). The results showed that the contribution of Model-1 (0.473 or 47.3%) explained the effect of organizational learning on environmental innovation score, respectively on the variables of environment management team (2.859/0.005), environment management training (−2.971/0.003), and environment supply chain management (7.786/0.000). The contribution of Model-2 (0.448/44.8%) explains the effect of organizational learning on eco-design product, respectively on the variables of environment management team (4.280/0.000), environment management training (−6.401/0.000), and environment supply chain management (7.910/0.000). Model-3 tested the structural association variables in organizational learning and green innovation. A significant influence can be seen with a probability value smaller than 0.05. This research shows that the concept of green dynamic marketing capabilities can be used to explain the ability of businesses in response to the pressure of green global norms through the development of organizational learning towards creation of green innovation product that has impact on market performance. The implication of this research is the creation of new mindset in which green global norms challenge becomes an opportunity for businesses to improve competitiveness.

The operational performance of container ports is crucial for efficient logistics and trade. However, there is limited understanding of how external integration through Customer and Supplier Integration (SCI-CI and SCI-SI) impacts port operational performance (POP), particularly in emerging markets like Oman. This study addresses this gap by examining the relationship between SCI-CI, SCI-SI, and POP, and explores the mediating role of supply chain management (SCM) practices in this context. Using the Resource-Based View (RBV) as the theoretical framework, the study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey method. A total of 377 questionnaires were distributed to managers at Sohar and Salalah ports, with 331 usable responses obtained, representing an 88 percent response rate. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that SCI-CI and SCI-SI have significant direct and indirect positive effects on POP, and they directly influence SCM practices. SCM practices, in turn, significantly enhance POP. Notably, SCM practices partially mediate the relationship between SCI-CI and SCI-SI with POP. These findings underscore the strategic importance of external integration and SCM practices as internal resources for improving port performance. This research provides valuable insights for decision-makers and policymakers in optimizing port operations.

Poverty, and especially the widening disparity between the rich and the poor, leads to social unrest that can interrupt the harmonious development of human society. Understanding the reasons for income inequality, and supporting the development of an effective strategy to reduce this inequality, have been major goals in socioeconomic research around the world. To identify the determinants of the income gap, we calculated the Gini coefficients for Chinese provinces and performed regression analysis and contribution analysis for heterogeneity, using data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2002 to 2018. We found that urbanization, higher education, and foreign direct investment in eastern China and energy in central and western China were important factors that increased the Gini coefficient (i.e., decreased equality). Therefore, paying more attention to the fair distribution of the factors that can increase the Gini coefficient and investing more in the factors that can reduce the Gini coefficient will be the keys to narrowing the income gap. Our approach revealed factors that should be targeted for solutions both in China and in other developing countries that are facing similar difficulties, although the details will vary among countries and contexts.