Complexity of US-China trade war: associated threats and realities

Discriminatory protectionism in trade is a bigger concern today. Rise in unfair trade practices and punitive measures have posed challenges and created economic uncertainty worldwide. This article deals with political economy of trade war and identifies how it is a serious temptation and contentious issue for trade output compositions and global linkages due to high use of tariffs and non-tariff measures. It deals with critical analysis of USA-China trade war conflict and its associated risks. Both the USA and China created trade obstructions from the perspective of trade protection and national motives. Major findings show that holistic global trade development with strategic negotiations can be adopted to control trade restrictions and raise trade performance with rise in competitiveness according to comparative advantages. The study concludes that trade war has negative impact and despite efforts of the WTO, trade disruptions still prevail due to disagreements in trade policies.