In The Trade Battle Of The US Eagle Versus The Chinese Dragon, Which Will Fly Higher? Or Should They Be Battling At All?

A midst long-lasting trade tensions between the United States and China, experts predict the latter will continue to grow as a rising super power. Yet many suggest China should secure even closer ties with the Gulf.

- Caline Malek

Although some called it a “resettling” of the economic trade ties between the US and China, they say the trade dispute discussion is being wrapped up in geopolitics. “These negotiations are also context-dependent on what is happening geopolitically in and out of the region,” says Dr Theodore Karasik, senior advisor at Gulf State Analytics. “With issues such as North Korea, Japan, South Korea, Russia and South-East Asia, as well as Chinese designs for definitions of sovereignty, you have the potential for a clash – [but] not militarily – between China and the US over these concepts of sovereignty and over how China is dealing with their neighbours.”

Experts speak of the great geopolitical game currently being witnessed as one between the current global power, the US, and the rising power, China. “Based on previous experiences, the competition ends in a war,” says Dr Albadr Al Shateri, politics professor at the National Defence College in Abu Dhabi. “As the US is pursuing more protectionist policies, China is eager to open its economy to more investment and trade. And, as the US is retrenching, China is expanding throughout the world and many countries want to avail themselves of the opportunity presenting itself to them.”