The US-China relationship is arguably the most important bilateral relationship of the 21st century. This column explores the link between trade imbalance and US sentiment toward China, and shows that US communities more exposed to import competition from China experienced a greater deterioration in sentiment. The trade-induced US sentiment toward China is broad-based, encompassing political, military, and national security issues. These findings suggest competition over trade may have important geopolitical implications through their effect on local sentiment.
