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International Economic Relations

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Increased international trade, and the lowering of barriers to such trade, frequently results in improved international relations, but it can also lead to trade wars and tariff disputes. RAND research explores bilateral and multilateral economic relations; describes how they affect global alliances, globalization, and the economic health of nations; and recommends methods to develop, encourage, and maintain these relations among diverse nations and cultures.

Report

The Chinese-Russian Relationship and Its Risks to U.S. Interests

Oct 12, 2021

Over the past 70 years, China and Russia have experienced the full range of interstate relations, from conflict to alliance. Beijing and Moscow have become much closer since 2014, increasing political, military, and economic cooperation. What does this mean for the United States?
Report

Mapping Business Networks in the Asia-Pacific

Nov 9, 2021

As the economies of East and Southeast Asia have exploded in size, the activities of Asian firms have become more and more interdependent. The number of cases in which firms from different countries shared the same director increased almost tenfold from 2006 to 2020.

Explore International Economic Relations

Commentary

Could the U.S. Play Offense in China's Back Yard?

Relations with Cambodia and Laos have fallen victim to the U.S. administration's foreign policy priority of shared values over shared interests. This approach has failed to make headway in Cambodia and Laos, isolates the United States in a region where few countries are true democracies, and unnecessarily cedes ground to Beijing.

Jan 13, 2022
Commentary

Is Russia's Su-75 'Checkmate' Aircraft a Case of Vapor Marketing?

During a Moscow air show last summer, Russia rolled out a mockup of the Su-75, a multipurpose fighter-bomber designed to compete in the global marketplace. But given the Russian aerospace sector's difficulties in developing, let alone delivering, advanced combat aircraft, prospective buyers should consider a range of options to meet defense needs.

Jan 6, 2022
Journal Article

Decoupling from China: How U.S. Asian Allies Responded to the Huawei Ban

The paper analyzes how Australia, Japan, and South Korea responded to Washington's expectations of mutual support on the decoupling of Chinese technology companies from global supply chains.

Jan 6, 2022
Commentary

Biden's Southeast Asia Policy Still Has Much to Prove

As the Biden administration's first year comes to a close, how is the United States faring in Southeast Asia? Washington got a lot right, but it could do better to optimize competition against China and work on a more sensitive understanding of the delicate and at times precarious position Southeast Asian states are in.

Dec 17, 2021
Report

Implementing China's Grand Strategy in Asia Through Institutions: An Exploratory Analysis

In this report, the authors review the literature on China's grand strategy and discuss China's use of institutions in implementing its grand strategy toward Asian nations of interest to China, including the countries of the Korean Peninsula.

Nov 29, 2021
Report

Weighing Entanglement Risks of U.S. Security Relationships

Some analysts argue that security relationships cause the United States to adopt its partners' interests, incentivize allies and partners to engage in reckless behavior, and risk getting dragged into conflicts. Others contend that the United States avoids entanglement by keeping its own interests in mind.

Nov 22, 2021
Report

How Diplomacy Could Be Used to Discourage Russian Arms Sales

Countering Russian arms sales could reduce Russia's influence on other nations as well as revenue that indirectly enables its irresponsible international behavior. The United States and its allies need to provide credible diplomatic and military alternatives, and work with countries to address their security needs.

Nov 18, 2021
Commentary

What Does Africa Need Most Now: Russian Arms Sales or Good Vaccines?

Why is Russia's main export to Africa advanced conventional weapons at a time when other needs are so great? African leaders might think twice about aggressive Russian arms pitches and engagement of mercenaries, and prioritize measures to stem the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage economic growth.

Nov 17, 2021
Brochure

Select RAND Research on China: 1999-2019

This volume is an important resource for anyone who is interested in gaining an informed understanding of China, a major strategic competitor of the United States in the economic, technological, diplomatic, and security realms.

Oct 7, 2021
Report

How Does North Korea Evade Sanctions?

The United Nations has imposed increasingly restrictive sanctions on North Korea after each of the six nuclear weapons tests that it conducted between 2009 and 2016. Enforcement has been mixed, and North Korea has become adept at several techniques to evade sanctions.

Sep 23, 2021
Commentary

China and Pakistan See Eye to Eye on the Taliban—Almost

Beijing and Islamabad share a long history of cooperation and have much in common on Afghanistan. Both are poised to benefit strategically from the Taliban's success. But the Taliban's resurrection almost certainly will add some stress to an otherwise positive and productive bilateral partnership.

Sep 21, 2021
Commentary

Chinese Recognition of the Taliban Is All but Inevitable

China is likely to recognize and legitimize the new leadership in Afghanistan within the coming weeks or months. Even if China has real concerns about the Taliban's willingness to keep its promises, the potential benefits are simply too great for Beijing to ignore.

Aug 27, 2021
Commentary

Which Kremlin Can Investors Expect?

A Kremlin that backs sound macroeconomic policy and a strong private sector could hearten investors. A Kremlin that pursues statist economics and security at all costs could discourage them. Which Kremlin should investors expect?

Aug 12, 2021
Commentary

Cryptocurrency Should Be Added to the U.S.-Japan Trade Deal

As the Biden administration begins to define its approach to international trade, and the Suga administration looks to further tighten cooperation with the United States, it may be worth reconsidering the exclusion of cryptocurrency from the U.S.-Japan trade deal. Substantial economic equities are at stake for both sides.

Jul 28, 2021
Commentary

America's Strategy in Oceania: Time for a Better Approach

China has moved in earnest to engage with Oceania, while the United States is vying to get a toehold in the region. To develop an effective strategy for engaging there, Washington could seek guidance from key allies to better understand their experience, lessons, and efforts already underway.

Jul 19, 2021
Commentary

The Power and Limits of Threat: The Caesar Syrian Civilian Protection Act at One Year

A powerful new U.S. sanctions law on Syria came into effect one year ago, with great notice and speculation regarding its potential effects. Now, one year later, it is apparent that the act's power lies not in who the United States has sanctioned but in who the United States could sanction.

Jul 8, 2021
Report

China's Drive for Power and Influence Around the World

An analysis of China's ability to use various mechanisms of influence to shape the policies and behavior of 20 countries finds that China's economic power is the foundation for its influence. This analysis offers lessons for the United States that can inform its response.

Jun 30, 2021
Commentary

Russia Engine Troubles: Is Putin's Behavior Catching Up with Him?

Actions taken to curb Russian malign activities around the globe appear to be affecting Russia's marine and aerospace engine sector. Efforts to arrest Russia's bad behavior might gain momentum if more countries followed the lead of Norway, which chose supporting sanctions over short-term economic gain.

Jun 15, 2021

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RAND Topic:
International Economic Relations

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