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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.

Commentary
A Case for Greater U.S. Engagement in Central Asia
Central Asia's souring relations with Russia and growing skepticism of Chinese influence have created a rare and valuable window of opportunity for the United States to bolster its image through greater long-term investment in the region.
Sep 11, 2023
Commentary
Consequences of the War in Ukraine: The Economic Fallout
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, projections estimated global economic growth in 2022 would be around 5 percent. But the war in Ukraine contributed to slowed economic growth in 2022 and a slowed recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the broader consequences for the global economy?
Mar 7, 2023

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Commentary
Is India the Weakest Link in the Quad?
India's sustained membership in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would fit with the goal of balancing against China to deter it from further militarizing the Indo-Pacific. But New Dehli may be getting cold feet.
Jul 23, 2018
Commentary
The U.S.-China Trade War: Different Messages
The trade war between the United States and China began with the notification of tariffs on $34 billion of traded goods on each side. Officials on both sides of the Pacific are using different messages to convey the dispute. What are the real impacts likely to be?
Jul 20, 2018
Commentary
Cooperation in the Arctic Likely to Continue—For Now
Risks for serious tensions in the Arctic during the 2020s are likely to be overstated. Key players in the Arctic appear likely to continue working together to enhance the economic potential of the region and resolve conflicts before they emerge, as opportunities in the Arctic continue to grow.
Jul 12, 2018
Commentary
Trump and Putin Should Start Small at Helsinki Summit
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will hold their first formal summit on July 16. Their agenda will likely include the main sources of strain in relations, but they might find it easier to make concrete progress if they start with lower-profile issues as Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan did at their first summit.
Jul 2, 2018
Report
Israeli-Turkish Ties Face Formidable Challenges
Israel and Turkey have mutual economic interests, such as trade, tourism, and energy. The two countries have usually been able to separate these interests from their political differences, but current relations remain contentious. Israel and Turkey differ on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the future of Syria.
Jun 27, 2018
Commentary
Book Review: Elizabeth Economy's The Third Revolution
The United States' attitude towards China is undergoing a significant recalibration, perhaps the most fundamental since Beijing's crackdown at Tiananmen Square almost three decades ago. Harnessing its resurgence while tempering its revisionism will likely be Washington's most vexing long-term policy challenge.
Jun 26, 2018
Commentary
The Need for Superpowers to Embrace a Vision of World Affairs
A superpower promotes a conception of world affairs that attracts others, enabling it to advance its objectives and amplify its values far more than it could on its own. Washington has a significant edge over Beijing in this regard.
Jun 21, 2018
Commentary
The Quad: Second Verse, Same as the First?
Members of “the Quad”—an informal collaborative arrangement among the United States, Japan, India, and Australia—have proven incapable of adopting either a shared understanding of or unified policies toward China.
Jun 15, 2018
Commentary
Why Russia Should Not Rejoin the G7
Even were it to disgorge the parts of Ukraine that it seized in 2014, Russia still would not qualify for reentry into the G8. An aspirational case for Russian membership might be made, but only if Russia's leadership aspires to democratic government and an open free market economy. At the moment there is no sign of such an aspiration.
Jun 13, 2018
Commentary
Assessing Transatlantic Fallout After the U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal
The U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal has set off another round of reflection on the state and future of the transatlantic alliance. Though this dispute may not in itself lead to a full breach in the transatlantic relationship, it joins a growing list of sharp disagreements impacting U.S. alliances.
May 31, 2018
Report
China's Role in the International Order
China's engagement with the postwar order remains a complex, often contradictory work in progress. China will likely demand more influence in the international system as a condition for its support. What will this mean for U.S. policy?
May 21, 2018
Commentary
Regime Appears Fragile as Iranians Turn Much of Their Ire Inward
Economic hardship is fueling unrest in Iran. New sanctions stemming from the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal may exacerbate already difficult conditions. Now might be the time to exert maximum pressure on the regime in an effort to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table.
May 21, 2018
Commentary
Book Review: The Sovereignty Wars by Stewart Patrick
“Sovereignty” is a complicated, multifaceted construct. The Sovereignty Wars is a timely and meticulous effort by author Stewart Patrick to clarify that concept, whose usage is a matter of both analytical interest and policymaking import.
May 17, 2018
Commentary
Do States Need Their Own Trade Policies?
Now would not be the first time California's business and trade interests haven't aligned with those of Washington. While it's the federal government, not California, that sets American trade policy, there are steps those in California could consider in order to optimize for trade opportunities abroad.
May 13, 2018
Commentary
The Strategic Fallout of U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Deal
President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement. What will happen next? Friction between the United States and its European allies will likely increase, while Iran moves closer to China and Russia. Also, the resentment of a new generation of Iranians toward America is likely to grow.
May 10, 2018
Commentary
Managing International Borders: Balancing Security with the Licit Flow of People and Goods
This Perspective builds on global best practices and lessons learned from other established border management solutions and proposes opportunities to strengthen security while improving the flow of travelers and goods.
May 9, 2018
Commentary
The Greater Danger of U.S.-China Trade Tensions
Trade tensions between the United States and China could escalate into a full-blown trade war, with ramifications for economic ties and the global economy. The long-term danger, however, is that tensions could begin to undercut the interdependence that has been so essential to keeping strategic competition between the two giants in check.
May 9, 2018
Commentary
The U.S. Is Out of the Iran Deal. What Now?
Abandoning the nuclear agreement with Iran isolates the United States, reneges on an American commitment, adds to the risk of a trade war with U.S. allies and a hot war with Iran, and diminishes the prospects of an agreement to eliminate the North Korean threat.
May 9, 2018
Commentary
The Future of Arctic Cooperation in a Changing Strategic Environment: Insights from a Scenario-Based Exercise Organised by RAND and Hosted by NUPI
This Perspective summarises the results of a table-top exercise on factors that could upset Arctic cooperation in the 2020 decade. While this exercise confirmed the solidity of cooperation, it also identified "wild cards" that could create tensions.
May 8, 2018
Commentary
Recalibrate, Rather Than Abandon, U.S. China Policy
China does not necessarily seek to succeed the U.S. as the world’s superpower, especially if such a mantle would impose on it real and/or perceived obligations for steering global affairs. What is the verdict, then, on America’s China policy, and where should the two countries go from here?
May 8, 2018

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RAND Topic:
International Economic Relations

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Researcher Spotlight

Daniel Hicks

Economist

Daniel Hicks is an applied economist at RAND and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, with over a decade of experience researching topics such as gender inequality and household labor, health and environmental economics, education, crime, conflict, and public…
Charles P. Ries

Adjunct Senior Fellow

Ambassador (Ret.) Charles Ries is an adjunct senior fellow at the RAND Corporation. His research focuses on the economics of development, trade, transatlantic, and Middle East affairs. Previously, Ries served as vice president, International at RAND (2012–2020). Earlier, while on a leave of…

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