The Calm in the US-China Trade War Is Illusory

The trade truce between the United States and China has reduced immediate tension between the powers. The current agreement, which suspended the escalation of tariffs, remains in effect until January of next year.

Despite the silence in the headlines, the current landscape is misleading. Both nations avoid establishing mutual guarantees to prevent new conflicts. The strategic focus has shifted to the battle for economic and technological supremacy.

The current clash prioritizes the resilience of global supply chains. Washington and Beijing are seeking ways to control or restrict the rival's access to essential inputs for technical progress. Both sides treat this movement as a matter of national security.

The strategies reflect lessons learned since the pandemic. Xi Jinping called for the country to strengthen international reliance on Chinese production as a deterrent, while the United States limits China's access to advanced technologies with military applications. The American goal is to restrict specific sectors without collapsing the global economic order.