“In the short term, Italy-China trade relations will suffer, especially due to consumers’ health concerns, sometimes accompanied by racist narratives and behaviors. In the long term though, trade relations will recover – global production networks are simply too embedded in China’s “ecosystem” to think that we can live without China, even though I suspect that this coronavirus will accelerate the end of a cycle of globalization, with many companies shifting production to Southeast Asia or simply reshoring.”
Giuseppe Gabusi (T.wai & University of Torino) gives some insights on the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe in the article “COVID-19 Hits Italy: A Test for China Ties” on The Diplomat.
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Head of Program
Prof. Giuseppe Gabusi is Associate Professor of International Political Economy and Political Economy of East Asia at the Department of Cultures, Politics and Society of the University of Turin. He is Head of T.wai's Indo-Pacific Program.
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