Where trade, law and politics meet.
In a world of intensifying geopolitical contest, understanding the dynamics of economic statecraft has never been more important, especially when it comes to weaponized trade and economic coercion. This site showcases the interdisciplinary work of the Weaponized Trade Project hosted at the University of New South Wales, and run in collaboration with the University of Wollongong and Monash University.
The concept of Weaponised Trade allows us to properly consider and contextualise predatory economic activity in the area of trade. It is imperative that governments are aware of the security challenges posed by Weaponised Trade and understand the range of diplomatic and policy responses available. Grey zone warfare is becoming more prominent in the contemporary security environment as a means to advancing geostrategic objectives. Because of the ambiguity of grey zone tactics, the more traditional strategic approaches and strategies require a rethink. We need to better understand and prepare for Weaponised Trade. Understanding the impact of and responses to past incidents helps with this future planning.
Bringing together law, international political economy and international relations, this project maps weaponised trade, examines the definitional issues, tracks responses, and identifies the impact on the rules based economic order. The project seeks to shed light on the evolving nature of international trade relations, addressing the increasing weaponization of international trade and the impact on business, government and international organisations. The project seeks to contribute to informed and balance discourse on the strategic use of trade as a tool for geopolitical influence. Funding for this project has been provided by a grant from the Australian Government Department of Defence Strategic Policy Grants Program. Note however that this is an independent project that reflects the views of the individual authors, and not necessarily the views of the Australian Government or any other institution.
