The geopolitical scene, always in a perpetual state of motion, has gone into overdrive in the last few years. The combined impact of the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, and the rising importance of the Global South, has reshaped the global landscape and how we interpret it. Yet amidst the geopolitical rivalry, there is an urgent need to seek new forms of cooperation to manage common problems. This panel will address the strategic implications of these developments, explore the future dynamics of the EU-US-China triangular relationship, and identify the most likely areas where frictions may lead to conflict and where common interests may lead to cooperation. 

Over the last decades, China’s rise as a global economic superpower has challenged the traditional dominance of the US and EU. In particular, the Belt and Road Initiative has expanded Beijing’s influence in the Global South by investing heavily in infrastructure projects in many regions. But with increasing signs of an economic downturn in China, will the ‘Chinese moment’ last? Will it go the same way as Japan — decades of stagnation following its meteoric economic rise — or should we be thinking in terms of a temporary setback, with the best yet to come? What sorts of economic and trade policies have the EU and US adopted in response to China’s rise, and how might these policies adapt in the coming years, particularly if the Chinese economy stumbles? In addition, what types of developments might radically alter our current assumptions about the future trajectory of economic relations among these three global players?

Speakers

• Dr. Mary E. Lovely, Anthony M. Solomon Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
• Dr. Jan Knoerich, Political Economy and Institutions Senior Lecturer, Lau China Institute
• Dr. Françoise Nicolas, Senior Advisor, Center for Asian Studies, Institut Français des Relations Internationals (IFRI)

Chair: Cèlia Cernadas, International affairs reporter. Former correspondent Washington DC, Catalunya Ràdio

Questions & Answers

Closing  Remarks