Protectionism or Free Trade. Should National Clothing Markets Be Protected

In recent years, countries in the Global South have been actively using protectionist measures to protect the textile and clothing industries, which provide significant employment (for example, the sector employs more than 45 million people in India and about 4 million in Bangladesh). China, despite its status as a "global factory," also supports the domestic market through subsidies and tax breaks, while African countries impose high import duties on clothing to stimulate local production. However, this often leads to higher prices, which highlights the difficulty of balancing market protection and consumer interests.

In recent years, protectionist measures in the industry and the West. For example, the United States maintains high duties on Chinese textiles, while the EU subsidizes local production through initiatives such as the return of production from Asia.

• How can we find a balance between protecting local producers and benefiting global supply chains?
• Why is China gradually reducing protectionism, while India, on the contrary, is increasing it?
• Can protectionism help developing countries create a competitive textile industry, or does it only slow down development?
• Is it worth protecting jobs in the garment industry if automation and AI reduce the need for manual labor?