Volume 97

This study assesses the limitations of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a major indicator of the development of socialist economies through a comparative analysis of China’s socialist market economy and Cuba’s planned economy. The analysis showcases that China’s mixed economic structure, which combines market mechanisms with state control, has achieved growth, but many public services and state assets are undervalued by traditional GDP measure. Similarly, Cuba’s state-dominated economy produces extraordinary social outcomes in education and healthcare, and GDP cannot fully measure its contributions to the social development which means that the non-economic benefits brought by such governmental investments were undervalued due to statistical difficulties created by current GDP metric. Both examples uncovered the internal bias of GDP against monetized transactions, which ignores socialist economies’ priorities. To reduce these gaps, the study recommends combining GDP with other multidimensional metrics, integrating social welfare indicators and collective asset valuations. This hybrid approach could better reflect the development goals of the socialist system, emphasizing collective welfare rather than market-centered growth.

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This research examines how protectionist trade measures affect China and Canada, as both nations primarily encounter such trade barriers from the United States. A protectionist approach includes government-implemented defensive policies that protect domestic industries against foreign market interference by means of taxes and financial assistance alongside restriction limits. This type of control provides temporary economic advantages. However, protectionist policies maintained over time produce economic inefficiencies, together with market volatility that leads nations to take countermeasures, thus reducing market efficiency. China reacted to US tariffs through increased self-reliance combined with its “Dual Circulation Strategy” and international cooperative agreements to decrease dependency on Western market. The Canadian economy encountered major economic problems due to US tariff retaliation, because it depends heavily on US markets; thus, it initiated immediate actions to diversify trade through various agreements. This research focuses on how trade strategies prove the differing effects of protectionist policies through a comparative analysis that supports multilateral economic stability between protectionist interests and international trade relations.

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This research examines legal deficiencies in China’s cross-border e-commerce consumer protection framework under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It focuses on three core issues: fragmented jurisdiction in cross-border disputes, the lack of unified legal status and procedural standards for online dispute resolution (ODR), and vague legislative provisions on personal information protection, particularly regarding consent withdrawal mechanisms. Through textual analysis of Chinese laws and RCEP obligations, the study identifies critical inconsistencies between domestic legal norms and regional expectations. Targeted legal reforms are proposed, including the legalization and standardization of ODR procedures, clarifying informed consent rules for personal information protection, and legislative support for international cooperation among RCEP member states. The research also explores the potential role of smart contracts and blockchain in protecting consumer rights. These measures contribute to the construction of a harmonized legal environment for cross-border e-commerce consumer protection and support China’s alignment with RCEP’s digital trade framework.

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