“TRADE WARS ARE GOOD, AND EASY TO WIN:” PERSPECTIVES ON THE UNITED STATES-CHINA TRADE WAR

Apex A. Apeh, Thaddeus O. Akpa, Christian C. Opata

Abstract


This paper interrogates the economic conflict between the United States and China with especial interest on the nature of the trade war, the effect on both countries and their trade partners as well as why US manufacturing made China their destinations. The United States had accused China of unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft claiming that they were contributory factors to the US trade deficit with China. The Chinese, in turn, accused the US of replaying the outdated nationalistic protectionism of the 19th and 20th centuries. The study is tangential because the two countries are major world powers with their economic and political influences in every part of the globe. Whatever happens to either of them will have ripple effects in world economies. Adopting the theory of protectionism and employing historical narrative, the study contend that given the huge economic advantages open to China that they have won even before the war began. In terms of trade, there is now a new world power.


Keywords


United States, China, Trade, Commerce, War.

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