
Hosted by Francesca Ghiretti · EN
Welcome to "Geoeconomic Competition", a thought-provoking podcast diving deep into the intricacies of geoeconomics. In each episode, Francesca Ghiretti engages with other economic security and geoeconomics experts to navigate the intricate and often hidden manoeuvres of economic security and of global economic power plays. From the growing set of policies to the changes in globalisation, we explore how countries leverage their economic strengths, engage in trade wars, and form strategic alliances to gain geopolitical advantages.
Logo by Daniele Saccani

On the 18th of June, EU leaders met to discuss "macroeconomic imbalances" aka China and tasked the Commission to design a new instrument and a solidrity measure. On the 29th of June, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič met with the PRC Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and agreed on a dialogue with four worstreams (trade and investments imbalances, export controls, IP rights, and WTO reform) with an October deadline for results. All of the above on a climate of growing tensions between the EU and China regarding trade imbalances (among other things) and the possibility of a tarde war looming. Finbarr Bermingham, Chief Europe Correspondent for the South China Morning Post, joins Francesca Ghiretti to understand how we got here and what to expect next.

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Carl Benedikt Frey, Dieter Schwarz Associate Professor of AI & Work at the Oxford Internet Institute, Fellow of Mansfield College, University of Oxford. The episode explores the role of AI in international competition. The conversation covers how innovation and diffusion play different roles in national competitiveness, and offers a frank assessment of how the US, China, and Europe are each positioning themselves in the race for AI leadership.

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Noah Barkin, Senior Advisor at Rhodium Group about the outcome of the Trump-Xi summit and especially, the implications for Europe. Is Europe collateral damage or the ongoing (precarious) stabilisation process bring advantages for Europe too? What does it mean for the de-risking agenda?

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Abraham Newman, Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and co-author together with Stecis Goddard, Betty Freyhof Johnson ‘44 Professor of Political Science and Associate Provost for Wellesley in the World, of Further Back to the Future: Neo-Royalism, the Trump Administration, and the Emerging International System. The episode unpacks neo-royalism and its implications for Europe and the world. What is neo-royalism and how is it reshaping global politics? How does this trend affect Europe's strategic positioning? What does the rise of neo-royalism mean for the future of geoeconomic competition and international order?Link to article: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-organization/article/further-back-to-the-future-neoroyalism-the-trump-administration-and-the-emerging-international-system/ABB12906CA345BBCA5049B544363D391

In this quick 10 minutes episode, Francesca Ghiretti unpacks China's State Council Decree Number 834: the Regulations on Industrial and Supply Chain Security, and Decree Number 835: the Regulations on Countering Foreign Improper Extraterritorial Jurisdiction. Why are these law so important? And what are the main elements we should pay attention to?

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Wendy Cutler, Vice President of the Asia Society Policy Institute, about the upcoming Trump-Xi summit. What are the key issues likely to dominate the agenda? How might the summit reshape the trajectory of US-China trade tensions? What would a successful outcome look like for both sides? And what could be the implications for the rest of the world?

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Sander Tordoir, Chief Economist at the Centre for European Reform, about the EU Industrial Accelerator Act and "Buy European". What are the key elements of the Industrial Accelerator Act? How does Buy European aim to promote European competitiveness and resilience? What do these initiatives tell us about the EU's shift toward a more assertive industrial policy?

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Dr. Jost Wübbeke is Managing Partner at Sinolytics, about the content of China's 15th Five Year Plan (2026-203). What are the new priorities? Does the plan tackles some of China's economic challenges? What about consumption? What does the plan tell us about the trajectory of China's tech self-reliance?

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Garima Mohan, Senior Fellow in the Indo-Pacific Program at GMF, about the future of the EU–India agreement and what it reveals about shifting geoeconomic priorities. The conversation explores the details of the EU-India FTA and the future of the relationship as Brussels and New Delhi deepen engagement amid global economic competition.

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Cory Combs, Associate Director at Trivium, about the intensifying global competition over critical minerals and the strategic responses taking shape in Washington and beyond. The conversation explores how US policy is evolving, how allies are aligning - or diverging - and what this means for China’s central role in global mineral supply chains and the future of economic security.