The Biden’s administration took office when the US’s facing the global challenge of pandemic and the  recession.  Changes  in  American  policy,  particularly  as  concerning  international  trade, immigration; climate policy initiatives, represent new effects and challenges. Rejoining the Paris climate agreement was one of the first decisions of the new administration. The climate agenda means keeping global warming under control; and trade policy may be part of this process. Making economic development more inclusive and decarbonized, introducing new fuel efficiency standards needs time; as CO2 emissions per capita in US and Canada now are much higher than in France, Great Britain, Germany. Although president Biden entered office having majority in both chambers of Congress, it may not be enough for passing legislation concerning some aspects of his policy agenda, including climate, budget, immigration. So the President started to realize his policy immediately after inauguration through executive orders. Addressing the trade issues, environment agenda, the new administration underlines that approach to international economic relations will be different (from Trump’s priorities), restoring American leadership abroad. Being at the pathway toward recovery at the beginning of the current year, the American economy still needs support and stimulus under struggling with pandemic consequences.

The article discusses the characteristics of China's advance to the position of the world digital leadership. The objectives of the study are the identifying of the most dynamically developing areas of digital transformation based on the integration of modern technologies, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, 3D printing, cloud technologies into supply chains for implementation in production processes. The impact of digitalization processes on the formation of a new society based on both traditional  cultural  values  and  high  susceptibility  to  Western  innovations  is analyzed. There  is  a  reversal  of  China's  global  strategy  from  a  development  model  based  on external factors to a wider use of internal regional reserves, which, in particular, is facilitated by the confrontation with the United States and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is concluded that achieving digital leadership in the competition with the United States for China is hardly possible in the foreseeable future. There are still insurmountable barriers on the way: the lack of economic freedoms, including in the field of using the Internet, environmental challenges that require structural restructuring of the economy, the presence of regional and social imbalances, a decline in economic growth, uncertainty in relations with the United States.

The trade policy pursued by the US government certainly provides as one of the most important measures to stimulate the export of those commodity groups that determine the development of the  country's  economy,  shape  its  innovative  nature  and  the  possibilities  for  the  expansionist promotion of American capital in the global, global geo-economic space. Such goods include high tech products of the American manufacturing industry, the forms, means, tools and methods of export  promotion  of  which  are  the  subject  of  this  study.  Having  studied  the  evolutionary dynamics  of  the  volume  and  structure  of  the  stimulating  elements  of  export  regulation  of American high-tech products  for  the  period  1946–2019,  we  identified  long-term trends characterizing the effective combination of assistance, encouragement, assistance and support to national exporters of the relevant commodity groups in the foreign trade activities of the United States. Based on the results of the study, conclusions are drawn about the unconditional priority of  stimulating  the  export  of  high-tech  products  of  the  US  manufacturing  industry  during  the entire  period  under  consideration,  characterized  by  a  flexible combination of the use of appropriate  forms,  means,  tools  and  methods  of  this  stimulation.  The  author  emphasizes  the primacy of expediency and efficiency in the choice of directions for the expansionary promotion of high-tech products of the American economy to the foreign market, which, of course, is of practical interest for Russian use.

The purpose of this study is to identify aspects of the e-sports commercialization and analyze its entrepreneurial core. Based on the of the economic science initial models, e-sports genesis, data from the author's sociological survey and secondary sources of information, elements of commercialization of the entrepreneurial core of e-sports are systematized. The main milestones of e-sports  development  in  the  world  in  general  and  in  Russia  in  particular  are  monitored; examples of the e-sports development in the period of COVID-19 pandemic are given; market participants of the industry are identified. Comparative analysis of multilevel ecosystems of sports competitions in the field of traditional sports and e-sports is carried out; statistics of the global e-sports market from 2016 to 2019 and a description of the resource base of e-sports are given.  The  authors  methodize  the  elements  of  commercialization  and  monetization  of  the entrepreneurial core of e-sports. Based on the results of the author's sociological survey, and the analysis conducted in the paper, it is concluded that the basis of the entrepreneurial core of e-sports  is  the  intellectual  and  physical  activity  of  people  based  on  electronic  games.  Thus, e-sports can be considered to be a fundamentally new intellectual discipline, forming around itself stakeholders that contribute to its monetization. It is concluded that the e-sports business core is bottomed on the physical and intellectual activity of people based on electronic games. The results of the study can be used by various entrepreneurial structures working in the sports industry.

The digitalization of economy has a significant impact on the economic sector and on other activities. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the digitalization of the economy in China, primarily in such an area as digital trade. China's digital trade has grown steadily in recent years, and its share in China's trade has also increased. This article proposes the term “digital trade” and presents its characteristics. Analyze the state of the China’s digital trade, the features and  main  trends  in  the  development  of  digital  trade  in  goods  and  services.  In  addition,  put forward current problems in the development of digital trade in China. It is concluded that digital trade in China as a whole has a positive trend, but in the future, instead of digital trade in goods, digital  trade  in  services  will  become  a  major  driving  force  of  China's  digital  trade.  With  the development of cloud computing, cloud outsourcing and offshore services will become a new sector of digital services trade in the coming years. It was noted that China's digital trade is a driver  for  innovative  trade  growth  and  has  an  active  impact  on  China's  trade  and  economic activity.

Currently global economic characterized such trends as increased geopolitical tensions and the expansion of the protectionist measures in the regulation of trade by the world biggest economies. An additional factor that seriously slowed down the global economy growth was the COVID-19 pandemic.  These  crisis  effects  provide  opportunities  for  re-engineering the structure of global value chains and development Russian foreign trade. Based on the statistical data contained in the ratings and reports periodically published by the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation  and  Development,  the  International  Institute  for  Management  Development,  the author identified the main problem areas that impede the conduct of foreign economic activity in Russia as well as barriers of the cross-border movement of goods. The integrated trade facilitation index for Russia was calculated having regard of above mentioned problem areas and barriers. The  index  characterizes  the  state  of  identified  problem  areas  and  barriers in relation to 121  countries.  The  main  directions  of  trade  facilitation  to  stimulate  foreign  trade  and  the integration of Russian manufacturers into the global value chains are proposed based on the factor analysis carried out on the basis of the integrated trade facilitation index variables.

The article analyzes the results of mergers and acquisitions of global pharmaceutical companies and  their  impact  on  the  global  pharmaceutical  industry.  The  relevance  of  this  research is determined by the high significance of mergers and acquisitions of global pharmaceutical companies on the global pharmaceutical industry and market. A comprehensive approach is used to assess the impact of mergers and acquisitions of pharmaceutical companies on the global pharmaceutical  industry.  The  article  presents  statistical  data  on  the  volume  and  number  of venture  investments  in  the  pharmaceutical  and  biotechnological  industries.  The  reasons  for mergers and acquisitions by pharmaceutical companies, as well as the dynamics of the activity of such transactions, are determined. The geographical structure of stock transactions and the total number of mergers and acquisitions of pharmaceutical companies are presented, as well as examples of the largest mergers and acquisitions of pharmaceutical companies.

The article examines the features of China's economic and political reforms, which led to the country's transition to a new stage in the development of the national economy – a factor model based  on  investments.  The  absolute indicators demonstrating the level  of  scientific  and technological development of China make the country one of the modern leaders. The country strives to become a leader in innovation by 2035. The paper notes the intermediate successes achieved  by  the  Chinese  government  in  the  development  of  the  economy  of  innovation. The country's interest in technologies of the 6th technological order is noted, expressed in the growth of investment in venture capital. The crisis caused by COVID-19 has had an impact on the  global  innovation  sphere,  and  interest  in  developments  in  the  field  of  medicine  and healthcare has been noted. Expenditures for research in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology can be predicted to rise. In Russia, at present, in general, the main systems of the innovation system have  been  formed,  while  they  are  not  sufficiently  coordinated.  The  difficulty  lies  in  the introduction of innovative technologies into production. Relying on the scientific achievements of  the  USSR  period,  using  the  experience  of  China,  Russia  has  the opportunity to introduce innovative technologies. The article assesses the prospect of applying the experience of China in  the  national  innovation  system  of  Russia.  An  assessment  of  the  features  of  the  Russian innovation system is given.

In comparison with national manufacturers, distributors have an advantage in providing wellknown brands and might receive financial or information support by foreign manufacturers in marketing campaigns in the local market. At the same time distributors have a lack of independence in producing and pricing policies, so they are limited in the tools for reducing the costs of production and increasing the profitability of sales. Nevertheless, distributors, as well as other companies, are focused on increasing their economic efficiency. Based on the study of the activities of the company «SK Energy», the authors identified the characteristic problems associated  with  the implementation  of foreign  trade  operations. Their  overcoming  is  mainly focused on decreasing the costs associated with the transportation of goods to the territory of the Russian Federation, reducing currency risks that limit the ability of the importing company to increase competitiveness in the local market due to the price factor. The authors propose ways to solve the identified problems, confirmed by estimates of the economic efficiency of imports based on actual data on the foreign-trade transactions of «SK Energy» and calculated values, considering the possible implementation of such measures.  Considering  the  specifics  of «SK Energy» business, it is identified the possible ways to increase revenue through changes in the company's sales policy and in the conditions of cooperation between the distributor and the foreign manufacturer. The results obtained are sufficiently general and can be used in different industries by commercial organisations that are already engaged in import  activities,  as intermediaries between foreign producers and consumers on the national market, or only plan to develop an international direction.

The research paper covers the impact of higher education export on the competitiveness level of key world economies in terms of international division of labor and global value chains, including USA, Germany and China. At the same time, the comparison in the field of higher education export in Russia has been implemented. There have been revealed main factors in the attraction of foreign students in universities of analyzed countries: the economic factor (the profit from higher educational services for foreign citizens), the consumer factor (the profit from living costs of foreign citizens during the educational period), factor of additional labor force (the employment of foreign graduates in the international companies), factor of “soft power” (the loyal attitude to the country, where higher education has been received) and factor of innovation development (the participation of foreign citizens in the development and implementation of research ideas in startups). Additionally, indicators of selected countries were compared in terms of its competitiveness level, including the complexity of economies and its innovation development. The result of this research is identification of interaction between export of higher education and competitiveness level of a country: USA, Germany and China have high indicators in this field in comparison with Russia. Based on the results main directions of higher education export development have been described with a target of competitiveness level increase in the national economy globally.

The article deals with some aspects of the legal regulation of relations between the counterparties of a foreign trade transaction. Based on the results of the analysis of the practice of the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, conclusions are drawn on the application of the provisions of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods of 1980 in resolving disputes between the parties to a foreign trade contract. The features of using the delivery bases under INCOTERMS 2020 in order to form the transport conditions of a foreign trade contract are revealed, and also, using the example of several delivery bases, it is indicated what transport costs should be charged to the contract value of goods in order to form the correct customs value. Based on the consideration of some court decisions, the role and significance of the delivery basis were determined both for resolving disputes between counterparties in case of accidental damage or loss of cargo during transportation, and for correctly determining the amount of the customs value of goods. A specific example is used to calculate the amounts of transport costs, insurance and customs value for each product when they are delivered together, when the total transport costs and insurance are initially determined for them.