China–USA: Multiple Vector of “Trade War”

845
DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2019-63-5-57-66

V. Mikheev (mikheev@imemo.ru),
Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO), 23, Profsoyuznaya Str., Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation;
Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE), 36, Stremyannyi Per., Moscow, 115054, Russian Federation;
S. Lukonin (sergeylukonin@mail.ru),
Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO), 23, Profsoyuznaya Str., Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation;
Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE), 36, Stremyannyi Per., Moscow, 115054, Russian Federation 

Abstract. At the end of 2018 – in the first half of 2019, a trade rivalry between the People’s Republic of China and the United States has been having a significant impact on China’s ideological and political component, socio-economic and military development, as well as its foreign policy. The U. S. – China “trade war” has entered a new, ambiguous phase of development. On the one hand, there is an internationalization of confrontation, in which the countries of ASEAN, APEC, etc. are directly or indirectly involved. The fields of confrontation are expanding – these are not only the economy itself, but also the military-political sphere. On the other hand, on December 1, 2018, at the G20 Summit in Argentina, the leaders of the United States and China agreed on a 90-day “truce”. For one part, Beijing continues to demonstrate readiness for economic compromises, for the other part, there is unacceptability of “trading” by basic ideological and political interests. On the one hand, Washington is increasing its pressure on China, criticizing it for its “unlawful” naval activity, for the ambitious plans to create modern rocket and space troops announced by Beijing in November 2018. On the other hand, Trump shows that he is ready for trade reconciliation with Beijing, but under the terms that meet American interests and “the interests of the American taxpayer and the voter”. Against this background, Xi Jinping is trying to strengthen his “rear” by appointing representatives of the “young” generation to leading positions in the party and the army. The Chinese authorities are taking a series of steps to support economic development. The impact of the “trade war” on China’s economic development remains moderately negative, but at the same time, the “survival potential” of the country’s economy is quite strong. Coincidently, the “development potential” of China may suffer substantial losses if the United States continue to maintain a tough restrictive line – not so much on tariff topics as on the expansion of the Chinese capital into the U.S. market and China’s access to a new American technology. 

Keywords: world economy, foreign policy, China, USA, “trade wars”, “One Belt, One Road” 


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For citation:
Mikheev V., Lukonin S. China–USA: Multiple Vector of “Trade War”. World Eñonomy and International Relations, 2019, vol. 63, no. 5, pp. 57-66. https://doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2019-63-5-57-66



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