International Relations Researches

International Relations Researches

Analysis of the nature of US-China disputes in the World Trade Organization: legal-commercial or political-security?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Afshar Fatolahi 1
Rahmat Hajimineh 2
1 PhD student, in International Relations , Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor of International Relations, Tehran East Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/irr.2023.365305.2283
Abstract
Abstract
One of the important issues in the field of international political economy is the conflict between America and China in the World Trade Organization (WTO) over compliance or non-compliance with the norms of this organization. The United States accuses China of not adhering to the standards it committed to after becoming a member of the WTO, while China strongly adheres to the regulations of this international organization. China's reasoning in pretending that the country adheres to the regulations of the World Trade Organization raises the question of whether there may be political and security motives behind America's claims. In other words, is it possible that America's claim against China has a political-security nature rather than a legal-commercial aspect? The hypothesis of this article is that because economic capability is the basis of military and political capability, the US is probably worried that Beijing will take advantage of the capacity of the World Trade Organization to strengthen its economic capability and, as a result, its military and political capability, thereafter in the competition for gaining a hegemonic position is like overtaking America. The findings of the article show that in many cases America has surpassed China in violating the standards of the World Trade Organization, and this issue confirms the claim that America is more concerned about the possible weakening of its dominant position than it is about international standards. It is in the field of global politics.
Keywords
World Trade Organization
hegemon position
institutional power
structural power
international institutions
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