Technology Rents and the New Great Game

This chapter argues that only technological developments establish a sufficiently valuable bone of contention to explain the scale, the timing, and the contours of the US–China trade conflict. These issues run deep and are pervasive, reflecting the transition to a data-driven economy built on the nexus of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data. The contest to command these new technology heights explains the new Great Game that is unfolding, featuring the deployment of the full range of strategic trade and investment policies, geo-economic tools, and geopolitical manoeuvring.