If you want to learn about the complexities of trade and geopolitical relationships, read Apple in China. This is a long book with a lot of inside details about Apple, but only through a long history of the development of manufacturing to meet the strong need for Apple products can you appreciate how we got to the current place in trade wars with China. With a desire just to meet demand, Apple invested heavily in Chinese suppliers. Other firms could not deliver what Apple needed.
It was a one-way street with Apple demanding extraordinary goals from its suppliers. In exchange for these demands, they provided significant knowledge and support, but eventually, Apple became too dependent on their suppliers and the handout from local governments. Tied with strong demand for Apple products, the China-Apple relationship flipped with China through suppliers, customers, and the government wagging the dog. With all of the knowledge transfer, suppliers were able to support local companies that now compete against Apple.
The ties with China were expedient but now have an edge where Apple may not be in charge of its destiny. There are no easy solutions for relocating manufacturing from China without significant financial costs. While the author does not write about the future, Apple has some very hard choices to make and it may not be able to weather this trade storm
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