The Impact of Regional Economic and Trade Conflicts on Participants and the Global Economy: A Case Study Based on the China-U.S. Trade War

Abstract

Against the backdrop of globalization, China and the United States, as the world's two largest economies, exert profound influence on the global economy through shifts in their trade relations. Since the outbreak of the trade war in 2018, the United States has imposed substantial tariffs on Chinese goods and implemented restrictions in high-technology sectors, while China has responded with reciprocal tariffs and a strategy of market diversification. This conflict has not only reshaped China-U.S. economic and trade relations as well as industrial structures but has also generated extensive repercussions for global supply chains and the economies of other nations. By compiling data on China-U.S. trade, policy updates, and case studies, and employing comparative analysis alongside case study methodology, this paper delineates the key policies and developmental stages of the trade war and assesses its impact on both China and the United States, as well as on the global economy. The findings reveal that the trade war has imposed economic pressures on both nations, while simultaneously accelerating the restructuring of global industrial chains and heightening uncertainty in the international economy.