Category: international trade
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The World in Flux: Adapting to a New Phase of Structural Change
The global economy stands at a pivotal crossroads. From the transformative sweep of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the reshaping of geopolitics, financial systems, and regulatory frameworks, the 2020s mark not just another business cycle but a structural realignment of the world order. History offers echoes of such turning points —…
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The 50% Tariff Shock: Why India Must Redesign Its Manufacturing Future
A Global Trade Reality Check India’s ambitious plan to expand its manufacturing base — particularly in labour-intensive sectors like apparel, electronics, and auto components — faces a fresh headwind. The World Economic Forum’s analysis, cited by The Economic Times, warns that a 50 % U.S. tariff threat could significantly undermine…
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U.S.–China One-Year Trade Truce: Historical Echoes, Immediate Relief and a Futuristic Crossroads
1 From Engagement to Escalation The economic relationship between the world’s two largest economies — the United States (US) and the People’s Republic of China (China) — has long oscillated between phases of integration and contestation. Beginning in the late 1970s, China’s opening up and its accession to the World…
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U.S. Bilateral Trade Deals: Deadlines, Diplomacy, and the Illusion of Completion Before November 2025
The November Anticipation: Fact or Political Optics? As global markets await a series of trade announcements from Washington, a growing narrative suggests that the United States may finalize all its bilateral trade agreements before 5 November 2025. However, there is no public confirmation to substantiate this claim. The speculation, amplified…
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The Shifting Architecture of Global Trade — How U.S. Export Controls and Tariffs Are Reshaping Supply Chains
From Open Trade to Controlled Interdependence The United States once stood at the epicenter of global free trade, championing open markets and liberalization since the Bretton Woods era. However, the trajectory has sharply changed in recent years, especially since the trade conflicts of the late 2010s. The U.S. is now…
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Why China Is Quietly Winning the Trade War: A Historical, Strategic, and Futuristic Analysis
Beyond Tariffs and Tensions The global trade war that began in the late 2010s as a confrontation over tariffs has, by 2025, evolved into a deeper structural realignment. While much of the Western narrative focuses on protectionism, supply-chain security, and “de-risking” from China, The Economist’s recent leader article (October 23,…
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China’s Expanding Export-Control Regime: The Next Frontier in Global Supply-Chain Politics
From Tariffs to Technology Controls On 9 October 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce unveiled a sweeping expansion of its export-control regime, targeting rare earths, lithium batteries, artificial graphite, and superhard materials. More strikingly, it introduced extraterritorial provisions, implying that goods produced outside China but using Chinese inputs may still fall…
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IMF’s Tariff Warning: Protectionism’s Hidden Drag on Global Growth
The International Monetary Fund’s October 2025 World Economic Outlook delivers a clear warning: the world may be entering an era where resilience masks erosion. While global GDP held up in early 2025, the IMF notes that persistent tariff barriers and protectionist impulses are slowly undermining the structural drivers of long-term…
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China’s Textile Pivot: How U.S. Tariffs Are Redrawing the Global Fabric of Fashion Trade
A New Route in the Global Supply Chain China’s textile exports to the European Union have surged sharply in 2025, as U.S. tariffs forced Chinese manufacturers to reroute their goods toward Europe. According to data from Euratex, the European textiles body, imports of Chinese clothing and textiles rose by 20%…