Topological perturbations on resilience of the world trade competition network

Abstract Network resilience refers to a system’s capability to adapt its functions to ensure continuity of essential operations amidst external environmental shifts or internal failures. The resilience of the world trade network faces structural disturbances, such as dynamic changes in the internal and external environments, increasing trade barriers and changes in competition between countries, which is an issue worth exploring. In this study, we introduce a world trade competition network that reflects export competition between two countries. We employ a network dynamics model to assess the resilience of this global trade competition network, focusing on the influence of topological disturbances. The eight distinct types of topological perturbations analyzed include nodes representing countries, links symbolizing inter-country competition, and weights indicative of the intensity of this competition. Our findings reveal that the intensity of export competition between countries significantly influences the resilience of the global trade competition network. Specifically, experimental outcomes indicate that network resilience declines more rapidly when nodes are removed sequentially based on higher weighted degrees than when based on lower ones. Similarly, in link perturbation scenarios, removing links associated with higher competition intensity first leads to a more precipitous decrease in network resilience when the network is otherwise stable. Furthermore, in weight alteration scenarios, networks maintaining a higher ratio of high-intensity competition links demonstrate greater stability compared to those with a reduced proportion of such links. Consequently, sustaining a robust level of export competition between countries is crucial for preserving the stability of the network.