STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS OF CHINA’S BRIAMID TRUMP 2.0’S TARIFFS:AN INTERREGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Trump 2.0’s tariff policies have generated significant disruptions to both domestic and global economic systems, necessitating strategic multilateral responses to mitigate their effects. As China continues to rise as the world’s second largest economic power within the context of US China rivalry, its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has attracted increasing global attention as a potential alternative framework for economic cooperation. Grounded in neoliberal institutionalism, which emphasises the feasibility of interstate interdependence, this article analyses the strategic implications of the BRI
from the perspective of from the perspective of interregionalism defined as economic connectivity across regions as economic connectivity across regions in response to Trump 2.0’s tariffs. It also explores the broader implications of the BRI for US China power dynamics under the second Trump presidency. This study primarily employs a qualitative analysis based on secondary data sources, including IMF economic reports, as well as scholarly and policy oriented literature on BRI implementation at both intraregional and interregional levels. Drawing on contributions from scholars, such as Pencea, Yang, Khalid and others, alongside institutional sources including the ASEAN China Centre, the article evaluates the extent to which the BRI can counterbalance the adverse effects of tariff driven economic fragmentation. The findings suggest that while Trump’s tariffs exert negative impacts on US economic performance and international credibility, China’s BRI contributes to strengthen its global favourability and economic resilience without inducing systemic economic decline. Despite ongoing criticisms particularly regarding debt trap diplomacy and transparency the BRI is argued to function as a strategic interregional mechanism capable of mitigating tariff related disruptions and reshaping US China power relations. Overall, the study concludes that, with continued institutional refinement, the BRI remains a significant vehicle for sustaining interregional economic integration within the evolving international economic order.