Trade in a turbulent world: tariffs, Trump and geopolitical risk

The global trading system is under strain with a new security dynamic disrupting decades of progress on agreed rules to govern trade. The United States and China in particular have used tariffs and export controls since 2018 to restrict and prevent trade. Alongside geopolitical conflicts and rivalries, these have forced many companies into defensive supply chain restructuring.

Risks escalated with President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation day’ tariffs in April 2025, forcing countries into asymmetric bilateral trade “deals” with the United States. These tariffs were partially wound back (and ruled illegal), but uncertainty persists with new tariffs announced in June 2026 targeting more than 60 countries – including New Zealand.

Join Professor Natasha Hamilton-Hart as she tries to make sense of this turbulence. She will explore how trade logic shifts when economic transactions carry security implications, discuss collective action, and unpack why mutually-beneficial cooperation can be difficult, but not impossible.

Bio

Natasha Hamilton-Hart is a Professor in the Business School’s Department of Management and International Business. Her research has focused on business-government relations in East Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, as well as regional trade and supply chain restructuring. Her most recent book is Stupid Rules: Reducing Red Tape and Making Organizations More Effective and Accountable.

Event

Tuesday, 25 August 2026, 6:00pm – 7:00pm @Good George North Wharf, 1 Jellicoe Street, North Wharf, Auckland 1010

The other talk at this location is Decolonising kai to end food insecurity at 7:30pm – 8:30pm