The U.S.-China trade relationship: What's behind the competition?

This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News.

The U.S.-China trade war, which began during Trump's first term, has reverberated across the global economy. But experts say fully decoupling the world's two largest economies is likely impossible.

Trade between the two countries has grown enormously in recent decades and is crucial for both. Today, China is one of the largest export markets for U.S. goods and services, and the United States is the top export market for China...