Interdependence and Its Limits | Sinification: September 2026
Much of the commentary in September revolved around the strength and limitations of economic interdependence as a source of political power. Wu Bingxuan and Huang Chaofeng advise Chinese firms to concentrate on trade diversification and developing sanctions-evasion tools against the prospect of expanding US trade controls and restrictions on Chinese firms. China-EU trade talks are ongoing, with a resolution hoped to be achieved by mid-October and a further escalation in trade tensions looming if the talks fail to deliver.
Why it matters: The report shows how Chinese analysts' assessments of interdependence and sanctions evasion inform the US-China theme, as Beijing weighs trade diversification against expanding US controls.