Trade War Monitor, Sept. 29: China’s New Arctic Shipping Route to Bypass Geopolitical Checkpoints

This week saw a flurry of contradictory signals in the U.S.-China trade relationship, revealing a rivalry that is simultaneously de-escalating in high-profile battles while digging in for a long-term structural conflict.

While President Donald Trump signed off on a deal to keep TikTok operating in the U.S. — a notable climbdown from a threatened ban — Washington quietly opened a new front in the tech war by barring 15 Chinese labs from certifying electronics for the American market.