This paper explores the ritual practices associated with Beiyuan Tribute Tea production in Jianzhou, Fujian, China. Beiyuan Tribute Tea, a historically significant tea, originated in the Tang Dynasty, flourished during the Song Dynasty, and experienced a decline in the Ming Dynasty, reproduced in contemporary times. The tea’s production involved intricate rituals that not only enhanced its quality but also embedded it deeply into the socio-cultural and religious fabric of the time. These rituals, encompassing aspects of religious reverence, craftsmanship, and social etiquette, played a crucial role in the tea’s esteemed status as a tribute to Chinese emperors in history. The study utilized ethnographic methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews with 17 people, and document analysis, to capture the rich, contextual details of the tea production process. The study delves into the historical context, production techniques, and symbolic meanings of the rituals, highlighting their impact on the broader cultural heritage of Chinese tea. The recent revival efforts of these traditions underscore their enduring significance and offer insights into the cultural continuity and adaptation in contemporary tea practices.

The demography of Saudi Arabia has been discussed many times but its conflict with the theories of transition and associated structural changes is unexplained. This research explains the demographic differentials stated as lag - real from theoretical – separately for the native and total population. This research developed demographic indicators revealing trends and patterns by adopting a secondary data analysis method, utilizing the General Authority for Statistics census data and other online data. The demographic transition of Saudi Arabia is in line with the theoretical contentions of pretransition and transition (early, mid, and late) stages but at definite time intervals. The absolute size, percentage change, and annual growth rate are explanatory for natives and are considered separately. Moreover, the structural population changes reveal transition stages from expansive to near expansive and constricting and stabilizing. Furthermore, broad age groups indicate rapid declines in the percentage of children, rapid increases in young adults, slow increases in older adults, and no changes in older persons. Even the sex ratio of natives is at par with other populations in transition (slightly above 100). Thus, it could be concluded that a demographic transition with structural changes as per theories: flawless growth rates with an expanding demographic dividend. At this juncture, the integration of migrants into society by endorsing family life and enabling social and demographic balance appears as imperative to improving the labor sector, productivity, and the image of the country in the international spheres for comparisons and benchmarking.

The internationalization of higher education began to take shape during the period of the Republic of China. This trend manifested in various forms and encompassed a rich array of activities, including the construction of teaching staffs, the exchange of international students, and the presence of overseas scholars giving lectures in China. Between 1899 and 1945, Japanese institutions sent nearly 200 academic overseas students to China. With the establishment and improvement of the internal system of universities in the Republic of China, these students were able to study and interact with Chinese scholars. The forms of communication were diverse, the content was rich, and the channels were smooth, making the process lively and interesting with distinct characteristics of the era. Consequently, this group became both participants and witnesses in the internationalization process of universities in the Republic of China. However, the full-scale Anti-Japanese War disrupted the internationalization of universities, causing it to deviate from its normal trajectory. Some Japanese academic overseas students who had previously studied in China became instruments of Japanese imperialism’s cultural invasion and educational colonization. These students played a significant role in promoting the “alternative internationalization” of universities in the Republic of China. In short, examining the involvement of Japanese academic overseas students providing us a unique insight into the general situation and processes of internationalization at universities in the Republic of China during different historical periods.

Over the past 50 years, urban planning documents have been drawn up in sub-Saharan African cities without any convincing results. The study of secondary towns in Chad shows that these planning documents have been hampered by natural and man-made factors. The aim of this study is to determine the factors hindering the implementation of planning documents in the town of Pala in Chad. To carry out the study, a methodological approach (using quantitative and qualitative data) based on a questionnaire and interview survey was deployed for data collection. With a sample of 300 households surveyed, the main conclusions of the study show that all the factors identified, such as water erosion with a rate of 17.7 T/Ha/year, expose the town to various risks. Demographics, on the other hand, represent a lesser and therefore acceptable challenge. As far as exogenous factors are concerned, the level of education of the head of household is a determining factor in the implementation and acceptance of urban planning documents in Pala. Confirmatory factor analysis and the Chi² test revealed that consideration of stakeholders’ needs and their inclusion in the process of drawing up these documents are factors that significantly influence their implementation. In contrast, age, gender and other variables did not reveal any significant anomalies in our analyses. Consequently, future efforts to implement Pala’s planning documents must be based on community participation and awareness of the acceptance of these documents, which are necessary in a process of decentralization and urban planning.

China established pilot carbon markets in 2013. In 2020, it set targets for carbon peaking in 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050. China’s national carbon market officially commenced operations in 2021. Based on the national market and seven pilot markets, this study established the factors influencing carbon trading prices by examining market participants, macroeconomics, energy prices, carbon prices in other markets, etc. Asymmetrical development among the seven pilot cities, for which the study employed a mixed-effects model, was the primary factor impacting carbon prices. The carbon prices in the pilot cities cannot be extrapolated to the entire country. In the national carbon market, where the study employed a multiple regression lag model, the SSE index was positively correlated with carbon prices, whereas the Dow Jones index had no significant effect on carbon prices in terms of macroeconomics. Coal and natural gas prices were negatively correlated with carbon prices, whereas oil prices were positively correlated with energy prices. The EU market prices have a positive correlation with prices in other markets. The significance of this study is that it covers the largest national Emissions Trading System (ETS) in the world and allows for comparing the characteristics of the Chinese market with those of other ETS markets. Additional studies, including more sectors, should be conducted as China’s ETS coverage increases.

The Agriculture Trading Platform (ATP) represents a significant innovation in the realm of agricultural trade in Malaysia. This web-based platform is designed to address the prevalent inefficiencies and lack of transparency in the current agricultural trading environment. By centralizing real-time data on agricultural production, consumption, and pricing, ATP provides a comprehensive dashboard that facilitates data-driven decision-making for all stakeholders in the agricultural supply chain. The platform employs advanced deep learning algorithms, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), to forecast market trends and consumption patterns. These predictive capabilities enable producers to optimize their market strategies, negotiate better prices, and access broader markets, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency and transparency of agricultural trading in Malaysia. The ATP’s user-friendly interface and robust analytical tools have the potential to revolutionize the agricultural sector by empowering farmers, reducing reliance on intermediaries, and fostering a more equitable trading environment.