Order 1421522: With reference to trade theory and trade policy, and the data in Table 1, evaluate the arguments that have been used to support the trade protection measures adopted by the United States against China in 2018.

With reference to trade theory and trade policy, and the data in Table 1, evaluate the arguments that have been used to support the trade protection measures adopted by the United States against China in 2018.

Table 1: Merchandise Exports and Imports to and from China (Mainland) 2014 to 2017

	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018*
Exports ($bn)	123.7	116.2	115.8	130.4	64.0
Imports ($bn)	466.8	481.9	462.8	505.6	250.0

* First two quarters of 2018

Source: IMF Direction of Trade Database

Note:

Answers may be subject to electronic checking for plagiarism. They must be written in your own words (except for quotations), be properly referenced and conform to an essay structure. That is, they must have an introduction stating the scope of the answer, paragraphs that focus on specific building blocks of the answer, and a conclusion that is based on the content of the answer and directly relates back to the subject of the answer. It must be written as a continuous discussion with no sub-headings or bullet points. The discussion must be supported by examples, data and references cited in the text. A list of references must be provided at the end, which must cite predominantly book/journal articles and authoritative sources.