The Spectre of Bandung : China, the Global South, and the End of Colonial Trade Patterns

Abstract: This thesis analysed the development of international trade patterns during the period from 1980 to 2013. More specifically, the research focused on the structure of North-South relations during this period and how China has influenced its dynamic. The legacy of colonialism left behind a particlar configuration of international trade, which was highly disadvantageous for the countries of the global South. This ‘core-periphery trade structure’ proved resilient in the decades following decolonisation, reinforcing the South’s subordinate position in the world economy. This research used the gravity model of international trade to trace the development of this trade structure over the last three and a half decades. The research found that patterns of international trade continued to reflect the structural legacy of colonialism throughout most of the twentieth century. However, this structure dissolved around the turn of the millennium as South-South trade started to grow and the North lost its centrality. The growing weight of China in the world economy was an important part of this development. However, the growth of South-South trade is not only a reorientation towards China. It also reflects a system-wide transformation towards a more balanced international trade structure.