Taiwan’s presence in the global information space is fluctuating. This international visibility of the Republic of China depends on the effectiveness of Taiwanese strategic communications conducted by the authorities in Taipei. This article analyzes the effectiveness of activities carried out in this field using the functional analysis method. Its effect is to determine that the level of international visibility of Taiwan is directly proportional to the number of media events, information operations, and other activities conducted as part of strategic communication. However, it should be emphasized above all that the strategic communication conducted by the Republic of China is not determined by the specific international legal status of Taiwan. The actions carried out by the authorities in Taipei aim to position the Republic of China as a responsible, credible and democratic political, and economic partner for the international community.

Political and philosophical concepts of tianming and tianxia from around the 11th century B.C. were the most important elements of legitimizing political power in China. Tianming (‘the mandate of heaven’) assumed that the imperial authority had the permission of heaven to exercise power, while tianxia (‘everything under heaven’) meant the area over which this authority was to extend. Despite regime changes – from the empire, through democracy and dictatorships, to modern socialism – this traditional concepts are still an important value for Chinese society. Therefore, the aim of the article is to examine how the current communist authorities of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) use this concepts to exercise political leadership and legitimize it. Based on a historical analysis and a study of individual cases of the actions of the contemporary Chinese authorities, the author wants to prove that both concepts are still an important aspect of exercising
power in China.

The existing system of property taxation in Poland has a limited capacity to support local governments in the implementation of local development processes. A potential source of significant additional revenue for municipalities would be a reformed property value tax (the so-called ad valorem tax), allowing municipalities greater autonomy in shaping the structure of property taxes. This could translate into an intensification of investment activities and a better targeting of socio-economic processes favouring the development of smaller centres. The overarching aim of this article is to attempt to answer the question of whether it is justified to replace the hitherto “flat” real estate tax rates with one based on location and the related value of a building or land. In addition to a review of the literature on the subject, statistics published by the OECD on the tax systems of European countries were analysed. Particular attention was paid to the ratio of the fiscal burden of property taxation to GDP and the ratio of property taxation to total tax revenue. It was pointed out that in most of the so-called Eastern Bloc countries, the low share of these taxes in the overall fiscal system is mainly determined by the reliance on a system that refers to the physical size of the area and only takes into account the use of the property without analysing its location and associated value. On the basis of the literature review and the author’s own research on regional development, conclusions are drawn about the positive impact of a potential reform of property taxes on the transformation of local environments.

Information warfare has become an important element of state’s foreign policy not only during an open armed conflict, but especially in the time leading up to it. The purpose of this article is to identify and characterise information warfare conducted by the Russian Federation, taking into account its role as a part of its foreign policy. The topic has been presented both in the theoretical dimension and by discussing selected examples. Content analysis, critical analysis of sources as well as synthesis and description were used in this thesis to verify the adopted research hypothesis, according to which information warfare has become asystemic instrument of the Kremlin’s foreign policy, conducted with the aim of destabilising states internally, deepening divisions between participants of international affairs and pursuing its own interests in the external dimension.

In the first quarter of 2020, a new virus—SARS-Cov-2– appeared in almost all countries around the world. Its rapid spread caused a global crisis that also affected Poland. Central government focused on combating and preventing the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the manifestations of this struggle was equipping local government units with new legal instruments. The aim of this article is to analyze the most important legal tools at the disposal of local governments during the crisis. Additionally, the author looks at the activity of local governments in the context of disease control using the example of actions taken by cities with poviat rights in the Silesian Voivodeship. The activities of non-governmental organizations and local communities are also emphasized. The author tries to identify problems other than the virus that local governments faced during the pandemic, such as presidential elections, finances and public transport. The analysis involved 12 cities with poviat rights: Katowice, Siemianowice Śląskie, Piekary Śląskie, Chorzów, Ruda Śląska, Bielsko-Biała, Świętochłowice, Gliwice, Bytom, Ruda Śląska, Sosnowiec, and Rybnik. The analysis covers the period from early March 2020 to late April 2020. It uses a comparative method, an analysis of legal acts and content analysis.