Abstract: The subject of the study is the consideration of the minilateral formations in the framework of the implementation of US foreign policy. The object of the study is the US foreign policy towards China since the beginning of the 21st century. The author examines in detail such aspects as the interaction of the United States and its allies in the Asian region, within the framework of the formation of the anti-Chinese coalition association, as well as analyzing and drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of a number of large minilateral organizations. Particular attention is paid to the reactionary perception of the top leadership of the leadership and the public masses of China on the role of the United States in building minilateral formations in its foreign policy.     The main conclusions of the study are: • The minilateral unions only accelerate the process of dividing the Asian region into pro-Chinese and pro-American. Such a competitive policy to attract Asian states to their trade, economic and political space will only complicate the process of finding a compromise point of view between the two great economic powers, as well as damage peace, prosperity and stability in the region in the long term; • The growing popularity in the formation of minilateral structures is a consequence of the growing confrontation between China and the USA over the past decade, and not the primary cause of contradictions; • To date, most of the programs that have a "minilateral connotation" have little effective impact for the American government, nevertheless they cannot be called unfulfilled. Taking into account the relatively recent acceleration in attracting an increasing number of countries to existing and newly formed formats, Washington expects to get positive results for itself in the next decade, provided that China's economic and technological development is consolidated. The scientific novelty is determined primarily by the fact that the work analyzes the mechanism and evolution of interstate relations between the United States and partner countries, as well as the peculiarities of their activities in the minilateral associations.

Keywords: USA, China, regional policy, strategy, mechanism, expansionism, security, alliance, minilateralism, Indo-Pacific

Abstract: The object of this research is the portrayal of ethnic conflicts in Soviet caricature. The subject of this work is the national policies and inter-ethnic relations during late USSR. Based on the illustrations of leading satirical magazine of the USSR the authors show that caricature was used as a tool of national policies, and attempt to examine the mechanism of this work in the 1980-1991s. The source material are the illustrations of one of the leading Soviet magazines that existed since 1922 - the "Krokodil" satirical magazine that reached 6.5 million circulations. Due to its potential, "Krokodil" not only allowed to successfully form ethnic stereotypes in the minds of Soviet citizens, many of which exist today, it also set the tone for Soviet satire as a whole. Based on content analysis and visual comparative research of iconographic scenes the article traces the dynamics of the "national issue" becoming relevant in Soviet satirical discourse during the period of study. The understatement of ethnic problems by "Krokodil" created the illusion of the "national issue" being resolved. However if during earlier decades the images with ethnic content constituted a narrative of harmony, late 80s demonstrate a different trend. The visual humour and satire were used to stop and prevent ethnic conflicts in Soviet Union, but on a limited scale and with a considerable delay.

Keywords: soviet history, cartoon, visualization, national politics, ethnic visiotype, 1980s, USSR, ethnic conflict, political satire, humour

Abstract: The object of this research is the portrayal of ethnic conflicts in Soviet caricature. The subject of this work is the national policies and inter-ethnic relations during late USSR. Based on the illustrations of leading satirical magazine of the USSR the authors show that caricature was used as a tool of national policies, and attempt to examine the mechanism of this work in the 1980-1991s. The source material are the illustrations of one of the leading Soviet magazines that existed since 1922 - the "Krokodil" satirical magazine that reached 6.5 million circulations. Due to its potential, "Krokodil" not only allowed to successfully form ethnic stereotypes in the minds of Soviet citizens, many of which exist today, it also set the tone for Soviet satire as a whole. Based on content analysis and visual comparative research of iconographic scenes the article traces the dynamics of the "national issue" becoming relevant in Soviet satirical discourse during the period of study. The understatement of ethnic problems by "Krokodil" created the illusion of the "national issue" being resolved. However if during earlier decades the images with ethnic content constituted a narrative of harmony, late 80s demonstrate a different trend. The visual humour and satire were used to stop and prevent ethnic conflicts in Soviet Union, but on a limited scale and with a considerable delay.

Keywords: soviet history, cartoon, visualization, national politics, ethnic visiotype, 1980s, USSR, ethnic conflict, political satire, humour