Podcast · Tech & Science

Geoeconomic Competition

by Francesca Ghiretti · English · Tech & Science

Welcome to "Geoeconomic Competition", a 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

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 30 min
Latest: 12 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026 · 31 minNew

AI series pt.2 - China's AI Ecosystem with Kayla Blomquist

In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti sits down with Kayla Blomquist, Co-founder and Director of the Oxford China Policy Lab. In this second episode of the series on AI, we look at the AI ecosystem in China: the existing offer, the dependency risk that offer may bring, the lifecycle of an AI company, how the offer and debate around agentic AI and AGI is developing and whether the future of China's offer will remain open weights.

Play episodeWhatsApp Download

Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S1 · E59 · 16 Sep 2026 · 21 min
AI series pt 1 - China's AI Strategy with Ngor Luong
In this episode of Geoeconomic Competition, Francesca Ghiretti sits down with Ngor Luong, Senior Policy Analyst on the Technology and Innovation team at the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, to unpack China's approach to AI: why Chinese labs have embraced open models, how her "Two Loops" framework explains the way China's open AI strategy strengthens its industrial position, and what the global spread of Chinese AI means for U.S. policymakers and businesses. She joined the con...
S1 · E58 · 1 Sep 2026 · 48 min
Broken China with Logan Wright
China's economic miracle is over — so what now? Francesca Ghiretti sits down with Logan Wright, author of Broken China: How the Economic Miracle Shattered and What It Means for the World, to unpack why the slowdown runs deeper than most assume, why there is no quick fix, and why betting on tech won't save Beijing. Plus, what a weaker China means for Europe and the world. Find the book here: https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=broken-china-how-the-economic-miracle-shattered-and-wh...
S1 · E57 · 18 Aug 2026 · 41 min
Special Episode - Trade Deficits and Growing EU-China Tensions (repost of CSIS Trade Off)
In this episode of The Trade Off, CSIS Economics Program Director Philip Luck sits down with Francesca Ghiretti, director of the RAND Economic Security and Resilience Initiative and CSIS Economics Program non-resident senior associate, to unpack growing EU–China trade tensions, Europe’s evolving economic security approach, and what recent trade disputes mean for the future of the economic relationship. Full webcast: https://www.csis.org/events/trade-deficits-and-growing-eu-china-tensions
S1 · E56 · 29 Jul 2026 · 30 min
Special Episode - What is Economic Security?
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 episo...
S1 · E55 · 17 Jul 2026 · 37 min
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.
S1 · E54 · 2 Jul 2026 · 39 min
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 ...
S1 · E53 · 4 Jun 2026 · 20 min
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 i...
S1 · E52 · 27 May 2026 · 27 min
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?
S1 · E51 · 13 May 2026 · 28 min
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. Wh...
S1 · E52 · 12 May 2026 · 11 min
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?
S1 · E51 · 6 May 2026 · 23 min
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?
S1 · E50 · 10 Apr 2026 · 30 min
"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?
S1 · E49 · 26 Mar 2026 · 30 min
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?
S1 · E48 · 27 Feb 2026 · 22 min
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.
S1 · E47 · 19 Feb 2026 · 48 min
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.
S1 · E46 · 12 Feb 2026 · 49 min
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.
S1 · E45 · 9 Feb 2026 · 29 min
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.
S1 · E44 · 27 Jan 2026 · 21 min
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.
S1 · E43 · 14 Jan 2026 · 23 min
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, in...
S1 · E42 · 30 Dec 2025 · 39 min
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?
S1 · E41 · 17 Dec 2025 · 25 min
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.
S1 · E40 · 11 Nov 2025 · 41 min
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 ...
S1 · E30 · 7 Nov 2025 · 20 min
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.
S1 · E29 · 31 Oct 2025 · 35 min
Deep Dive: What to expect from China's 15th Five Year Plan with Gerard DiPippo
The 4th Plenum unveiled information about what to expect from China's 15th Five Year Plan (March 2026). Francesca Ghiretti chats with Gerard DiPippo, an Associate Director, RAND China Research Center and expert in China's economy to analyse what we can expect, clarify key point and untangle contradictions.
S1 · E28 · 24 Oct 2025 · 41 min
Deep Dive: China's Export Controls with Rebecca Arcesati
This episode is a deep dive into the details of the development of China's export controls, from 2022 to the updates of October 2025. Rebecca Arcesati is Lead Analyst, in the Science, Technology and Innovation Programme at MERICS.
S1 · E27 · 21 Oct 2025 · 20 min
The Key is Heavy Rare Earths with Jason Bedford
Francesca Ghiretti speaks with Jason Bedford, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. In his paper RARE EARTHS AND INDUSTRY: WHY DEPENDENCE ON CHINA ENDURES, Jason explores the details of China's REE leverage. In this episode, we unpack why the difference between heavy and light REE matters and stands at heart of China's ability to impose painful export controls. Apologies for the audio quality, I had a cold.
S1 · E26 · 30 Sep 2025 · 27 min
The importance of migration for European competitiveness with Alberto Rizzi
In this episode, Francesca Ghiretti hosts Alberto Rizzi, Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations' Rome office. In his policy brief "Markets, migrants, microchips: European power in a world of demographic change", he tackles an issue at the heart of European ability to compete economically. demographics. What's Europe's demographic situation? What are some best practices that exist in the world and in Europe that we should support and adopt? How important is to think about a...
S1 · E25 · 25 Aug 2025 · 29 min
The Hidden Risks of Connected Vehicles with Project Lion Cage
In this episode, Francesca Ghiretti hosts the leader of Project Lion Cage, Tor Indstoy and Arild Tjomsland. The project "explores how everyday connected technology—such as smart vehicles and IoT systems—could be exploited in future security crises". How do connected vehicles work? What type of data they collect and where are they stored? Can these vehicles be remotely hijacked? What are mitigating measures that can be adopted? A few highlights: - When it comes to Chinese made EVs, 90% of data...
S1 · E34 · 4 Aug 2025 · 30 min
Is the EU stuck between a rock and hard place? with Iana Dreyer
In this episode, Francesca Ghiretti chats with Iana Dreyer, Founder and Editor ot Borderlex, a magazine specialised in trade. With Iana, we try to understand the implications of the EU-China summit as well as the tariff "deal" between the EU and the US. We touch upon EU resilience and strategic autonomy and what are the options for the EU ahead.

About Geoeconomic Competition

Geoeconomic Competition is a English tech & science podcast from Francesca Ghiretti. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Francesca Ghiretti
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 30 min
Latest episode: 12 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1729083514

RSS feed Apple Podcasts

More English tech & science

Take it with you

The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.