The Trade War between China and United States: Balance of Power vs Hegemony

Why do the great powers wage Trade Wars? The trade-based conflicts between the US and its main trading partners, particularly China, have been exacerbated by the Trump administration since 2018. It seems that the Biden administration will pursue the same policy as the “Interim National Security Strategy Guidance,” released in March 2020, specified China as an assertive threat to the US. This article will investigate the causes of waging trade war between the US as a dominant power and china as a challenger in the complex international system. Using power transition theory by the time series analysis method, this article argues that the “fractured transition” in every single level of the international system will transform the hegemonic war to other types of war especially trade wars. Meanwhile, the author discussed the consequences on the Islamic Republic of Iran's economic condition in international and regional order and some policies recommended.