Trade wars often result from:

Trade wars typically arise from conflicts over tariffs and trade regulations. When countries engage in international trade, they often have different priorities and strategies regarding their economic policies. Disagreements may occur when one nation perceives another's trade practices as unfair or harmful to its economic interests. In response, countries may implement tariffs—taxes on imported goods—to protect their domestic industries or retaliate against perceived trade injustices.

These tariffs can escalate into a cycle of retaliation, where countries continuously raise tariffs on each other's goods, leading to increased tensions and strained economic relations. Such actions can disrupt global trade flows, impact supply chains, and affect the economies of not just the involved nations but also third parties that rely on those trading relationships.

While environmental policies, export diversification, and mutual cooperation in trade agreements are important aspects of international trade, they do not typically incite trade wars in the same direct way that tariff disputes do. Therefore, the conflicts over tariffs and trade regulations are the primary catalysts for trade wars and their escalation.