"Asia and Africa today"
- is a scientificl monthly journal (in Russian)
of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Included in Russian Science Citation Index on
WoS platform, and EBSCO Publishing.
ISSN 0321-5075. Published since July 1957.

 

 "Asia and Africa today" № 8 2014

 

Azia&Afrika 08-2014

 

 Top Problem

CHINA, WHERE ARE YOU RUSHING TO? By A.M.Vasiliev, Academician, Russian Academy of Sciences
Keywords: China, development model, convergence of socialism and capitalism, national idea, achievements, economy, roads
A.M.Vasiliev’s essay - is both profound scientific studies of various aspects of life in modern China and at the same time very emotional story of the most personal impressions received from multiple travels round the country.
The main idea of the author which goes through the whole article is the following: the Chinese do have a national idea and that idea is: «250 years ago, we, Chinese, were the best in the world, the most powerful, and the most developed. We must once again become the world’s best, most powerful, most advanced».
Not hiding his high esteem for the achievements of talented and hard-working Chinese people, the author unwittingly makes you wonder about how much could be achieved by the country which has chosen the right course of development.
Impressive are the variety of sources used. The big amount of statistical data makes the socio-political themes look like the exact sciences.
Professional sinologist probably find in the A.M.Vasiliev’s material some inaccuracies, some other experts could specify that, along with the undoubted achievements China still has a lot of unsolved problem. But most readers will simply rejoice in the fact that the academician allowed himself to deviate from purely academic canons and openly shared with readers with the burden he has at his heart.

RUSSIA AND CHINA IN EURASIAN TRANSPORT CORRIDOR by S.L.Sazonov, PhD (Economics). Part 1
Keywords: Trans-Siberian railway, international corridor of transit, transit potential, transport infrastructure, Joint Russian transport highway
At the beginning of the XXI century the Pacific Rim, that are the lands around the Rim of the Pacific Ocean has become one of key areas which is actively involved in global geopolitics. The region turned into a busy intersection where different economic interests intersect and through which the strategically important transport commu- nications go.

 

 Policy, Economy

NORTH AFRICA: «ARAB SPRING» AND PROSPECTS OF MODERNIZATION OF ECONOMY OF HYDROCARBON EXPORTERS by V.Yu.Kukushkin, PhD (Economics)
Keywords: oil, natural gas, «Arab Spring», North Africa, «curse of resource wealth», rentier state
In 2011-2014, countries of the North African region, which are exporting oil and natural gas experienced a series of socio-economic, political and military turmoil conventionally known as the «Arab Spring». For all the countries of the region those events have had serious negative consequences..

LIBYA. LONG WAY TO STABILITY OR THREAT OF DECAY? by K.V.Meshcherina
Keywords: Libya, armed groups, radical Islamists, provinces, federalism, oil exports
Today, Libya is still at the point of “tense waiting”. The country is confronted with an acute problem with security and law enforcement, various armed groups and brigades remain active.
Although the socio-political situation in modern Libya is under consideration, particular attention the author pays to activity of various armed groups, their role and their influence in development of the processes which are going on in the country.

NUCLEAR POWER AS A LOCOMOTIVE OF RUSSIAN-IRANIAN ENERGY COOPERATION by Barari Reykande Hodayar (Iran)
Keywords: nuclear power, Iran, Russia, «Bushehr» NPP, Russia’s image
The article is devoted to the analysis of the current state and prospects of Russian-Iranian nuclear cooperation in the context of the Bushehr nuclear power plant. Doing that, the author takes into consideration the normalization of relations between Iran and the West which took place after the new president came into power. Deterioration of Russia’s image in Iran and influence of this factor on the Russian-Iranian cooperation are also discussed and recommendations are made on how to improve the relations between Russia and Iran.

MONGOLIA: PLANS AND ACHIEVEMENTS by M.I.Golman, Dr.Sc. (History)
Keywords: Democratic Party of Mongolia, mining, industrialization, foreign investments
In 2012 the Mongolian Democratic Party has won the parliamentary elections and come into power. The article examines the achievements of its government in different fields and what is particularly important in the economic sphere.

HOW SOON PEACE WILL COME TO THE WEST BANK by A.A.Ermakov, I.V.Ryzhov, Dr.Sc. (History), Nizhny Novgorod University
Keywords: the State of Israel, West Bank, militants, the Gaza Strip, asymmetric conflict
The author analyzes dynamics of the asymmetric conflict of the State of Israel and the Palestinian groups in territories of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Armed standoff in the territory of the West Bank is considered.

CHINA TRADE WITH AFRICA: ADVANTAGES AND LOSSES FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES by T.L.Deych, Dr.Sc. (History)
Keywords: China, Africa, trade, export, import, partners, raw materials, markets, tariffs
The article contains a brief history of the development and up-to-date state of China-Africa trade relations. The author deals with measures, taken by Beijing leadership to facilitate access of African goods to Chinese market and also to improve the quality and enlarge the range of Chinese export goods to Africa. These measures promoted China to surpass U.S. as Africa’s largest trading partner. In the article the mutual benefits of China-Africa trade partnership are shown: this partnership provides the access to natural resources for China and to inexpensive Chinese goods, industrial equipment and new technologies for Africa.

AFRICAN TRADE UNIONS: INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL CONTACTS by L.M.Sadovskaya, PhD (History)
Keywords: Africa, the trade union movement, the International Confederation of Labour, World Federation of Trade Unions, the Organization of African Trade Union Unity
At first the African countries which started forming their trade union organization took as a model the trade unions of their former colonial powers, both their ideological orientation, organizational forms and means of influence on political power. But in early 1960s, when former colonies got independence, they began establishment of their own national trade union associations.

 

 Point of View

YASUKUNI SHRINE PROBLEM: TO BE CONTINUED by E.V.Molodyakova, Dr.Sc. (History)
Keywords: Yasukuni Jinja, Shinto, revival of Japanese militarism, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
For more than a decade, seemingly private problem connected with the Yasukuni Shrine (Yasukuni Jinja) - national Shinto religion where souls killed in a combat are honored - has been periodically appearing in the spotlight, both in Japan and the neighboring countries. This fact causes not only the polarization of opinions within the Japanese society, but also serious conflicts with neighboring countries, mainly China and the Republic of Korea.

 

 Post-Graduate Column

JAPANESE POLICY IN AFRICA by A.R.Rodin
Keywords: Japan, Africa, foreign policy, economic assistance, investment
In view of current revitalization of economic activity of China and India on the African continent, Japan’s role in Africa is generally regarded as secondary. The main reason for this is today’s difficult economic situation in Japan. However, in the long term the situation could change significantly.

 

 Scientific Life

ETHIOPIA - RUSSIA: “ROUND TABLE” IN THE INSTITUTE OF AFRICAN STUIDIES by Kh.M.Turinskaya, PhD (History)
Keywords: relations between Ethiopia and Russia, Institute for African Studies
On the initiative and with the participation of the Embassy of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) a round table «Diplomatic relations between Ethiopia and Russia» was held at the Institute for African Studies. Institute staff members and members of other scientific and educational institutions, Russian and Ethiopian diplomats, representatives of state, public and commercial organizations have attended the event.

THE HIGH LEVEL OF RUSSIAN-ETHIOPIAN POLITICAL DIALOGUE IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR OF STABILITY ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT by G.Yu.Chepik
Keywords: Russia, Ethiopia, diplomatic relations, trade and economic cooperation
The article deals with the Russian-Ethiopian cooperation, which continues more than a century. Such relations between Russia and African countries of sub-Saharan Africa are almost unique. Despite all the disasters and storms of the XX century, these relations have always been warm and friendly. The nature of bilateral cooperation in the Soviet period is discussed. During that period with the Russian assistance Ethiopia has established a number of industrial facilities and carried out a large volume of geological exploration.

“WE HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE OF COOPERA- TION BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES” by Kasahun Dender Melese, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia in the Russian Federation
Keywords: Ethiopia, Russia, bilateral relations, economic and cultural cooperation
This is a report made by Mr. Melese at the “round table” devoted to relations between Russia and Ethiopia which took place in the Institute for African studies.

 

 Culture, Literature, Art

RUSSIA: HOW INDONESIAN AND MALAYSIAN WRITERS TREAT IT by V.A.Pogadaev, PhD (History)
Keywords: Indonesian literature, Malaysian literature, the image of Russia, Literature for Society
The article analyzes the image of the Soviet Union and modern Russian in the works of Indonesian and Malaysian writers. It is noted that for many Indonesia and Malaysian writers, Soviet Russia and its literature have been a source of an inspiration and a kind of a model for imitation (Idrus, Abdul Samad Said, Usman Awang). Indonesian and Malaysian writers who have had a chance to visit Soviet Russia, often underlined in their works mostly positive aspects of the socialist system (Mohammad Haji Salleh, Kemala).

FOCUS ON AFRIKANERS: AN OVERVIEW OF THE RECENT LITERATURE by V.V.Kruchinsky
Keywords: contemporary South Africa, Afrikaners, white poverty, post-apartheid transformation
The article provides an overview of the recent academic publications dedicated to the study of contemporary Afrikaans community in South Africa - «Rigtingbedonnerd», a book of Dutch journalist and writer Fred de Vries, «Poor White», a monograph by Edward J.Bottomley, and a dissertation «Afrikaner, Nevertheless» by sociologist Jacob Boersema, published last year at the University of Amsterdam.

 

 Book Review

AMBITIOUS EMIRATES by A.A.Tkachenko, PhD (Economics)
Monograph of E.O.Kasayev «Qatar in the XXI century: current trends and forecasts for economic growth» (M., International Relations, 2013, 182 p.) will surely attract a fairly wide range of readers. It is a book about the country which enjoys the world’s highest annual rate of per capita income - more than $ 100000. Besides Qatar, along with Russia and Iran, is among the top three countries of the world which have the largest reserves of natural gas.

FROM THE «PUPA» TO «BUTTERFLY»: TRADITIONS AND CULTS OF AFRICAN COUNTRIES by T.M.Gavristova, Dr.Sc. (History), E.V.Spiridonova, PhD (History)
It is a review of the collective monograph «The Religious Experience of the Peoples of Tropical Africa. Psychological and socio-cultural aspects» (M., 2012, 268 p.).
The monograph is devoted to the problems of transformation of religious experience in Africa. The authors conclude that the publication will certainly contribute to better understanding of socio-cultural and religious processes which are taking place in sub-Saharan region and South Africa.

 

* Summary