Trade with a wide range of partners underpins China's role as an economic hub. Efforts elsewhere to bring industry home have had mixed success, yet a conflict could make domestic production seem a more dependable safeguard of supply. Even sanctions lifted after a few months would impose major disruption and encourage that shift. In this account, China's domestic bargain ties acceptance of the regime to the promise of work. Lost trade and employment would therefore create pressure inside China as well as abroad.
Notable Point · 17:55-20:16
Trade disruption threatens China's employment bargain
Even temporary sanctions could accelerate changes in sourcing and turn lost trade into an internal employment problem.