If you are unfamiliar with recent news, here is a video on the China/U.S. trade wars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErwIlvQ_RVk Your task: Read the following articles. The articles are listed in chronological order to describe how the press covered the trade wars development. 1.The details of the tariffs: The Economist – Tit for tat (2018).pdf 2.China’s Reaction: The Economist – China’s exporters have expanded their global market share (2019).pdf 3.Trade deal: The Economist – The ceasefire in the trade war between America and China is fragile (2019).pdf 4.Update on the results: WSJ – China Trade War Didn’t Boost U.S. Manufacturing Might (2020).pdf 5.In relation to the pandemic: The Economist – No safety net – Covid-19’s blow to world trade is a heavy one (2020) Then create a new thread where you answer the questions below. 1.What factors were driving the US to place tariffs on Chinese goods and start the trade war? (video+reading 1,2) 2.What was the intent/goal of the truce or trade deal? Why is it fragile? (to answer this, think of the gains from trade, reading 2,3) 3.How will future trade flows and the current deal be affected by the latest pandemic? Discuss some of the products that US/Chinese consumers might see increase in price and the producers who might gain or lose from the latest developments. (reading 2,6) 4.Did the trade wars accomplish any of its goals? Why not? (reading 4)
