Who Likes Cooperation? A Long-Term Analysis of the Trade War between the US, the EU and China

Abstract

This article aims to demonstrate, through trade war between the US, the EU and China, that this phenomenon is a constant aspect of international trade where its intensity and involved parties keep changing according to the structure of trade. In a long-term perspective, we argue that rather than being a series of phases of cooperation and war, international trade is a mixture of cooperation and war. The divergence and convergence of the American, European and Chinese economies since the 19th century in terms of manufacturing output has determined the structure of their trade relations and bargaining capacity, as well as their distinct conceptions of multilateralism.

Keywords

Trade War, Long-Term Perspective, Manufacturing Output, Trade Structure, Multilateralism

Citation

Selcan Serdaroglu Polatay, “Who Likes Cooperation? A Long-Term Analysis of the Trade War between the US, the EU and China”, Journal of International Relations, Vol. 17, No. 67, 2020, pp. 41-60, DOI: 10.33458/uidergisi.772664

Affiliations

• Selcan SERDAROGLU POLATAY, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Galatasaray University, Department of International Relations