China's Weaponization of Trade

Victor Cha will discuss his new book China’s Weaponization of Trade, which examines the strategic use of economic coercion by major powers.
About this Event

In recent years, China has turned economic interdependence into an instrument of coercion, using its dominant positions in international trade to push states and firms to comply with its political goals. What is distinctive about this form of economic pressure, and how can other countries fight back?

In Victor Cha's new book, China's Weaponization of Trade, he and his co-authors examine the strategic use of economic coercion by major powers, its implications for allies and partners, and the forms of collective resilience that may be needed to protect governments, firms, and the broader international order.

The authors collected more than 600 cases of China's economic bullying targeting states, companies, and individuals across North America, Asia, and Europe. To deter China's economic coercion, they propose a multilateral strategy of "collective resilience" to counter intimidation. They argue that targeted states can work together, leverage their trading relationships, and threaten collective retaliation to discourage future coercive actions.