The Political Economy of the US–China Trade War

Introduction
Trade wars existed long before the emergence of modern societies. One of them is the Opium Wars waged with China in the 19th century. The British dispatch of opium produced in India to China over many years, and the Chinese emperor’s refusal to accept it any longer, led to a development that culminated in war. With the victory of the British navy, China was forced to allow additional foreign trade into the country.