Countries should not use trade as a weapon

THE world economy is at a fragile point. In this part of the economic cycle, it’s best to de-escalate geopolitical tensions such as trade wars. Those disputes risk worsening the global economy that could tip the world closer to a recession.

The truce in the US-China trade war is a welcome development, but there is much more work to be done. Beyond the economic superpowers, world leaders should refrain from using trade as a tool to address broader economic and even political disputes, and instead focus on reforming global institutions to strengthen trust in the fairness of the rules-based system.

Slowing growth in major economies will require public and private investment, particularly in the environment and in people to equip them for the 21st-century economy. This is where businesses and governments should work together. I hope these strategic issues will be in focus at Davos.

Dr Linda Yueh

Economist, Oxford University and London Business School in any more if they think a company isn’t taking the issue seriously.

That focuses minds, and Davos is the one place where the world’s big businesses, pressure groups and governments get together to talk about these things.

I am glad the UK Government isn’t going ahead with the rather clumsy boycott of Davos that was briefed out, and that the Chancellor is coming. We want the UK to be in the conversation. You can’t do that if you don’t show up.

George