2021/11/30 by Liu, Liqun, Tusi, Wen
#FOS: Economics and business #General Economics (econ.GN)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2111.15598
We study a model of two-player bargaining game in the shadow of a preventive trade war that examines why states deliberately maintain trade barriers in the age of globalization. Globalization can induce substantial power shifts between states, which makes the threat of a preventive trade war salient. In this situation, there may exist "healthy" levels of trade barriers that dampen the war incentives by reducing states' expected payoffs from such a war. Thus, we demonstrate that trade barriers can sometimes serve as breaks and cushions necessary to sustain inefficient yet peaceful economic cooperation between states. We assess the theoretical implications by examining the US-China trade relations since 1972.