COLUMNS

For the U.S. and China, the Economic Fight of the Century Begins

May 10, 2018 | 08:00 GMT

A photograph shows the Yangshan Deep-Water Port in Shanghai, China, during April 2018.

The Yangshan Deep-Water Port in Shanghai, China, has an automated cargo wharf China warned that trade talks with the United States were "impossible" under the current conditions after President Donald Trump reassured markets during April 2018 by suggesting that the dispute could be resolved.

(JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)

The economic fight of the century has now begun. After more than a month of lobbing threats of tariffs and investment restrictions back and forth -- and over a year of preparation by U.S. President Donald Trump -- China and the United States finally have kicked off negotiations on contentious economic issues. The underlying competition between the world's two largest economies has been building for quite some time. While Washington and Beijing may find some common ground, both view the rhubarb as a potentially barbaric fight for economic supremacy in the 21st century. It won't be a battle either side will take lightly, and it won't be without its economic and political casualties....