Araştırma Makalesi

A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework

Cilt: 45 Sayı: 1 17 Ekim 2026
PDF İndir
EN TR

A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework

Öz

One of the most significant sources of tension in the contemporary global trading system is the trade war between the United States and China. This study analyzes the U.S.–China trade war within a game-theoretic framework to examine strategic decision-making under conflict. The Chicken Game is employed to model the strategic interaction underlying mutual confrontation, where both parties face strong incentives to avoid unilateral concession. Given the sequential and asymmetric structure of the trade conflict, the analysis is conducted in an extensive-form framework and applies the concept of subgame perfect Nash equilibrium (SPNE). Backward induction yields a unique SPNE in which the United States chooses a tariff strategy and China responds by avoiding further tariff escalation. The equilibrium reflects the first-mover advantage of the United States and China’s incentive to minimize the larger losses associated with mutual escalation under the assumed asymmetric payoff structure. A sensitivity analysis further shows that the equilibrium is preserved under alternative payoff magnitudes as long as the underlying ordinal preference relationships remain unchanged, while also demonstrating that the result remains conditional on these preference orderings. These findings highlight the role of strategic asymmetry, sequential decision-making, and payoff structures in shaping trade-conflict outcomes and illustrate the analytical value of the Chicken Game framework for understanding contemporary international trade conflicts.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

  1. Alexa, I. V., & Toma, S. V. (2012). The correlation between game theory and international trade. Annals of the University Dunarea de Jos of Galati: Fascicle I, Economics, and Applied Informatics, 18(2), 67–74.
  2. Allison, G., Kiersznowski, N., & Fitzek, C. (2022, March 23). The great economic rivalry: China vs. the U.S. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/default/files/files/publication/GreatEconomicRivalry_Final_2.pdf
  3. Altieri, C. (2021). United States and China: A game theoretical approach to international trade. LUISS University.
  4. Aumann, R. J. (1995). Backward induction and common knowledge of rationality. Games and Economic Behavior, 8(1), 6–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899–8256(05)80015–6
  5. Autor, D., Beck, A., Dorn, D, & Hanson, G. H. (2024). Help for the heartland? The employment and electoral effects of the Trump tariffs in the United States (NBER Working Paper No. 32082). National Bureau of Economic Research. https://doi.org/10.3386/w32082
  6. Bacharach, M. (1992). Backward induction and beliefs about oneself. Synthese, 91(3), 247–284. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413569
  7. Bacharach, M. (1977). Economics and the theory of games. Westview Press.
  8. Badia, L, & Marchioro, T. (2022). Game theory: A handbook of problems and exercises. Società Editrice Esculapio.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Ekonometri (Diğer)

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yayımlanma Tarihi

17 Ekim 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

2 Eylül 2026

Kabul Tarihi

2 Ekim 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Cilt: 45 Sayı: 1

Kaynak Göster

APA
Basılgan, M. (2026). A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 45(1), 59-85. https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY
AMA
1.Basılgan M. A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework. BUJES. 2026;45(1):59-85. https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY
Chicago
Basılgan, Müslüm. 2026. “A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework”. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi 45 (1): 59-85. https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY.
EndNote
Basılgan M (01 Ekim 2026) A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi 45 1 59–85.
IEEE
[1]M. Basılgan, “A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework”, BUJES, c. 45, sy 1, ss. 59–85, Eki. 2026, [çevrimiçi]. Erişim adresi: https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY
ISNAD
Basılgan, Müslüm. “A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework”. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi 45/1 (01 Ekim 2026): 59-85. https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY.
JAMA
1.Basılgan M. A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework. BUJES. 2026;45:59–85.
MLA
Basılgan, Müslüm. “A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework”. Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, c. 45, sy 1, Ekim 2026, ss. 59-85, https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY.
Vancouver
1.Müslüm Basılgan. A Game-Theoretic Perspective on the U.S.–China Trade War: A Sequential Chicken Game Framework. BUJES [Internet]. 01 Ekim 2026;45(1):59-85. Erişim adresi: https://izlik.org/JA93EG52AY

Creative Commons Lisansı 

Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Görükle Kampüsü 16059 Nilüfer
Bursa / Türkiye
Telefon :+90 224 294 11 75
Faks :+90 224 294 10 03
E-Mail: iibfeditor@uludag.edu.tr