The US-China Trade War: Causes, Consequences, and the Future of Bilateral Relations

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 PhD student in International Relations, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran (Corresponding Author)

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran

Abstract

The trade war between the United States and China, which began in 2018, has changed the landscape of international relations. The increase in tariffs by both the U.S. and Chinese governments has posed a threat to the stability of international trade and multilateral cooperation. Governments have cited the trade deficit between the U.S. and China as the primary cause of this trade war. In 2025, with the beginning of Donald Trump's second presidential term, it is expected that U.S.-China relations will enter a phase of greater uncertainty and turbulence. This study, while examining the causes of the trade war between the U.S. and China and its impact on the Islamic Republic of Iran, aims to answer the question: What are the effects of the U.S.-China trade war on the global economy and the future of relations between the two countries? The findings suggest that the trade war between the U.S. and China has wide-ranging complexities for the global economy. The increasing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China could push the world towards another Cold War, as this forces other countries to choose between the two global economic power blocs.

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International Political Economy Studies
Volume 8, Issue 2
March 2026
Pages 85-104

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 24 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 14 January 2026

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