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
This is a repost by Geoeconomic Competition of Trade-Off, the podcast of DG Trade and Economic Security at the European Commission (https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/trade-podcast_en). So this time, the host is Brian Talty, and your usual host, Francesca Ghiretti, is a guest, together with Denis Redonnet, Deputy Director-General at DG Trade and Economic Security and Rene Summer, Director of Government and policy Advocacy at Ericsson. Trade isn't just about tariffs—it's about trust. This episode of Trade-Off explores how Europe can stay open while reducing vulnerabilities, and why economic security is about resilience, not protectionism.
Beyond Big Tech: Inside the European Quest for the Tech Stack with Cristina Caffarra
What is "EuroStack," and where does Europe actually stand in the global tech race? In this episode, Francesca Ghiretti hosts Cristina Caffarra, prominent competition economist and one of the most influential voices in European tech policy, to call out Europe's real strengths and hard dependencies, and ask what it would take to build more independence and growth. A clear-eyed look at digital sovereignty and whether Europe can pull it off.
Brussels vs Beijing: Inside the Trade Standoff with Finbarr Bermingham
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.
How Technological Progress Happens (and Ends) with Carl Benedikt Frey
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.
What does the Trump-Xi meeting mean for Europe with Noah Barkin
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?
What Neo-royalism means for Europe and the World with Abe Newman
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
Short - China's Supply Chain Security Law and Anti-Extraterritoriality Law
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?
What to expect from the Trump-Xi Summit with Wendy Cutler
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?
"Buy (with) Europe" and the Industrial Accelerator Act with Sander Tordoir
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?
The 15th Five Year Plan with Jost Wuebbeke
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?
What's next for EU-India? with Garima Mohan
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.
The Critical Minerals Game with Cory Combs
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.
Redefining European Economic Security with François Chimits
How is the European Union redefining economic security in an era of geopolitical tension? In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti sits down with François Chimits, Head of the Europe Program at Institut Montaigne, to examine the EU’s progress, its strategic direction, and the challenges it still must overcome.
Will the RMB become the next Global Reserve Currency? With Gerard DiPippo
At the end of January 2026, Qiushi published a 2024 speech by Xi Jinping that, among other themes, underscored the strategic importance of having a global reserve currency. In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Gerard DiPippo breaks down China’s evolving ambitions for an internationalised renminbi, and how realistic Beijing’s ambitions are.
Do we need manufacturing? with Chris Miller
Europe and the US are racing to bring manufacturing back home - but should they be? Inspired by an article from The Economist , Chris Miller, Professor of International History at Tufts’ Fletcher School and author of Chip War , digs into the real economic benefits of manufacturing. We unpack why policymakers are so keen on factories, whether manufacturing still delivers meaningful gains in jobs and growth, and what it might mean for advanced economies to fully embrace a service-led future.
Can Chinese investments in European BEV become genuine engines of growth? with Agnes Szunomar
With the EU and China reaching price undertakings on Chinese EV imports, this episode features Ágnes Szunomár, Associate Professor at Corvinus University of Budapest, to unpack the scale, motives, and consequences of Chinese investment in Europe’s BEV sector. The discussion probes whether Chinese investments in the sector can become genuine growth poles for European supply chains or remain technologically self-contained enclaves. We examine what Europe gains in terms of strategic know how, industrial competitiveness, and market share. Finally, we assess how these developments reshape Europe’s economic dependencies and strategic autonomy in the green transition.
What will China's anti-involution campaign (not) solve with Yanmei Xie
In the final 2025 episode of Geoeconomic Competition , Yanmei Xie tackles the big questions behind China’s anti-involution campaign. What distinguishes involution from overcapacity, and why does that distinction matter? Why is China’s overcapacity treated as a problem when similar conditions elsewhere are not? And can the anti-involution drive meaningfully address China’s economic challenges? Finally, could it ease some of the core tensions between China and the EU?
What is the Reparation Loan and Why it matters so much with Lucas Guttenberg
On the 18th of December, the leaders of the EU will discuss the much debated reparation loan, a proposal to use the frozen Russian assets to finance the Ukrainian war effort. In this episode, Lucas Guttenberg, Director of the programme Europes Future at Bertelsmann Stiftung unpacks what the reparation loan is, how it works and why this decision is so important for Europe.
The future of IEEPA tariffs with Geoffrey Gertz
On 5 November, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral argument on the use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) by Donald Trump to impose sweeping tariffs. The decision, which is expected in the next few months, will determine the future of both Fentanyl tariffs as well as Liberation Day tariffs. The decision, however, will have much wider and deeper implications for Trump's wider approach to trade as well as the functioning of check and balances in the United States. Francesca Ghiretti unpacks the story with Geoffrey Gertz is a senior fellow with the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and co-host of the Derisky Business podcast.
What's going on with Nexperia with Judith Huismans
In October, the Dutch government took over Nexperia, a Dutch chip maker owned by the Chinese Wingtech. The initial and main reason for the takeover was bad management. In the meantime, tensions between The Netherlands and China have escalated, a Chinese delegation visited Brussels and Trump and Xi met. To understand why this is so important and what is happening with Nexperia, Francesca Ghiretti has a chat with Juidth Huismans, Research Leader at RAND Europe's The Hague office.
