On March 3, 2025, National Chengchi University (NCCU) hosted the "Symposium on Geopolitical Trade Barriers and Cross-Border Trade," organized by the Center for Business Sustainability, the Center for Supply Chain Management, the Department of Management Information Systems, and the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. The symposium, chaired by Professor Hsiao-Hui Lee, featured presentations from distinguished scholars exploring the evolving landscape of global supply chains in the context of geopolitical tensions.
Professor Vernon Hsu, of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, opened the symposium with a presentation on the "Paradox of De-Risking," arguing that complete decoupling from China in global supply chains is unattainable. Instead, he proposed the concept of "rerouting," exemplified by the increased reliance on countries like Vietnam and Mexico, which still maintain indirect exposure to Chinese supply networks.
Following this, Professor Jonathan Hsu, of National Tsinghua University, discussed the impact of Regional Value Content (RVC) requirements, specifically within the USMCA. His presentation highlighted the nearshoring strategies adopted by auto firms to meet these requirements, illustrating the shift towards regionalization in international trade policy.
Professor Hsiao-Hui Lee then presented her research on "Credit Chain and Sectoral Comovement," examining the effects of global shocks—such as geopolitical events and natural disasters—on trade credit and credit chains. Her analysis explored the effectiveness of various mitigation strategies, including reshoring, nearshoring, and friendshoring, and concluded that domestic components often exhibit greater shock resilience.
The symposium concluded with Professor Yun Fong Lim, of Singapore Management University, presenting a case study on "Optimal Policies and Heuristics to Match Supply with Demand for Online Retailing." His presentation focused on a women's apparel retailer, analyzing the effectiveness of push and pull strategies in managing inventory across multiple Southeast Asian locations.
The symposium fostered engaging discussions through Q&A sessions, with participation from faculty, students, and staff. Professor Lee's closing remarks emphasized the symposium's contribution to understanding the multifaceted challenges and opportunities presented by geopolitical trade barriers and cross-border trade.
