The U.S. actions targeting its tech industry conjure memories of the Opium Wars for Beijing. To prevent history from repeating, China's leaders will redouble efforts to acquire high-end technology as quickly as possible.
For decades, the Japanese farming industry has exerted an influence that belies its low levels of production. Now, Tokyo is looking to step up its efforts to cut the sector down to size with an eye to looming trade deals.
In much of the developed world, the influence of farmers has declined. It's a different story in Australia, where the agricultural sector still has a big say on trade policy.
The disease's damage to Chinese production could force Beijing to ease tariffs on U.S. pork exports.
In times past, Brazil's manufacturing industry ruled the roost on domestic and economic policy. Now agriculture has assumed that mantle.
The European Union's agriculture lobbies have historical and cultural clout, but changing demographics and economic realities are driving the bloc to take a less protectionist approach to its farmers in free trade agreements.
The arrival of the rapidly spreading pest on the subcontinent threatens to reduce agricultural output and aggravate aggrieved farmers in India.
In the midst of trade spats, U.S. farmers have been targeted by retaliatory tariffs that will further damage their struggling industry. But the agriculture lobby doesn't have the political heft it once did, and its influence will continue to decline as the economy evolves.
By defining the techniques as genetic modification, the European Court of Justice opens them up to more regulation, creating another point of contention over agriculture policy.
As Beijing seeks alternative sources for the essential import, the South American agricultural giant's capacity to export more soybeans is growing. Levies on the U.S. crop will only accelerate that trend.
