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  • Special Ep. - Impact of smartphones on US-China tech rivalry
    2025/07/29

    In this special edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, Bloomberg's technology editor Vlad Savov sits down with Hinrich Foundation research contributor Michael Enright, professor in Global Business at Northeastern University, to unpack how smartphones have become a central battleground in the US-China tech rivalry.

    The smartphone industry has become a key front in the US-China tech rivalry, with Chinese brands holding 60% of the global market share. China's industrial policies, such as Made in China 2025, have been crucial in advancing its tech sector though Chinese firms still rely on foreign technology. The US-China trade tensions have led to a decoupling in tech, but deep interdependence in manufacturing makes full separation difficult. Enright presents that going forward, both nations will likely pursue separate supply chains, with the US leading in advanced tech while global manufacturing becomes more dispersed. Both the governments and the tech companies will need to delicately balance the cost, competitiveness, and strategic independence in a rapidly shifting trade environment.

    Tune into this podcast as Michael Enright, Pierre Choueiri Family Professor in Global Business at Northeastern University, joins Bloomberg tech editor Vlad Savov in a podcast co-organized by the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA and the Hinrich Foundation to break down how smartphones now represent a convergence of national security, corporate interests, and supply chain economics in the US-China technology competition. The podcast follows up on Enright’s recent article for the Hinrich Foundation, "China’s smartphone producers take on the world."

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    50 分
  • Special Ep. - Why rare earths are a critical test of redrawing supply chains
    2025/07/22

    In this special edition of Current Accounts, the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Naoise McDonagh, Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University, to unpack the crucial role of rare earth minerals in the global economy.

    Rare earths are vital for advanced manufacturing, powering industries like electric vehicles, defence, and robotics. China dominates their supply, controlling 90% of processed rare earths, which gives it significant geopolitical leverage. Rare earths are classified as critical minerals due to their strategic importance and supply chain vulnerabilities. While countries like the US and Australia are seeking alternatives, China's processing monopoly and price volatility complicate efforts. Australia, with projects like Lynas, aims to reduce dependency, but global demand, especially from China, poses ongoing challenges. McDonagh concludes that the rare earth market is shifting towards strategic, state-backed production partnerships, particularly with allied nations.

    Tune into this podcast as Naoise McDonagh, Senior Lecturer, Edith Cowan University, joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to break down the crucial role of rare earth minerals and how Australia is laying the grounds to position itself as an alternative supplier of China in rare earth elements. The podcast follows up on McDonagh’s recent paper for the Hinrich Foundation, “Australia’s rare earths lie between economic security and liberal markets.”

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    47 分
  • Special Ep. - Unpacking the dollar's global dominance
    2025/06/03

    In this special edition of Current Accounts, the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Senior Research Fellow Stewart Paterson to unpack the US dollar’s global dominance and what we are still getting wrong.

    As the linchpin of the international monetary system, the US dollar’s role extends far beyond America's borders, influencing trade flows, shaping investment decisions, and anchoring global financial stability. Beneath the surface of this dominance lies a host of unresolved tensions, from sustained trade imbalances and currency misalignments to the political and economic strains these dynamics impose on both emerging and advanced economies alike.

    While the Trump administration has imposed protectionist measures, such as tariffs, to address concerns about domestic industry and employment, the prolonged weakening of the dollar since January has resulted not from these policies but from a deeper set of worries among investors across asset classes over the intense and ongoing fiscal and business uncertainty created by the administration’s policies. Though Paterson found much to dislike about the way Trump’s tariffs were derived, he notes that an inadvertent outcome may be the real effective depreciation of the US dollar. Such weakening is needed if the policy goal is to return the American economy to external balance, given the dollar’s overvaluation and persistent US deficit spending.

    Tune in to this podcast as Senior Research Fellow Stewart Paterson joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to break down the driving factors behind the dollar’s global dominance, which follows up on Paterson’s research paper for the Hinrich Foundation, “Trump, the US dollar, and American trade policy.”

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    48 分
  • Special Ep. - Craig Allen on the US-China technology competition
    2025/04/22

    In this special edition of Current Accounts, the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the US Association of Foreign Press Correspondents sits down with Craig Allen, former President of the US-China Business Council, to assess how China is redefining innovation, what the US gets wrong about it, and why this global race is more complex and consequential than ever.

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    29 分
  • Special Ep. - What Global Markets Should Expect from China’s Slowdown
    2025/04/01

    In this special edition of Current Accounts, the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the US Association of Foreign Press Correspondents sits down with Senior Research Fellow Stewart Paterson to unpack why China has struggled to rebalance its economy toward the consumption-led growth it desperately needs.

    China’s economic slowdown is sending shockwaves across global markets, raising concerns about the future of the world’s second-largest economy. Once a key driver of global growth, the country now faces a range of challenges, from a sluggish property sector and mounting local government debt to declining foreign investment and weakened consumer demand. These issues, coupled with the government’s cautious approach to stimulus and ongoing geopolitical tensions, has sparked debate about whether China can regain its economic momentum. As businesses and investors worldwide watch closely, the question remains: why it is almost impossible to re-engineer China’s political economy?

    Central to the issue is China’s investment-led growth model, which has driven massive infrastructure development, but it has also led to diminishing returns. The state-controlled, bank-dominated financial system has resulted in a surge of non-performing loans, highlighting inefficiencies in the country’s investment strategy. With capital accumulation now outpacing returns, China faces escalating financial risks, including the potential for a major crisis.

    Furthermore, despite years of effort, China has struggled to shift toward a consumption-driven economy, where domestic demand could play a more significant role in growth. Structural barriers such as income inequality, high savings rates, and an undervalued currency make this transition difficult. The government’s reluctance to relinquish control over the economy, prioritizing trade surpluses and state-directed investments, further complicates the shift. To pivot towards a consumption-based model, China would need to implement sweeping reforms, including a more progressive tax system, improved social security, and higher wages. Without these changes, China risks prolonged stagnation and financial crises that could derail its long-term growth and geopolitical aspirations.

    Tune into this podcast as Senior Research Fellow Stewart Paterson joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to break down the key factors behind China’s sluggish growth and what it means for global markets.

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    45 分
  • Special Ep. - Trump’s tariff gambit: What’s next for Europe?
    2025/02/18

    In this special edition of Current Accounts, the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the US Association of Foreign Press Correspondents sits down with Senior Research Fellow Keith Rockwell to discuss how Europe plans to deal with Trump’s tariffs and their impact on the world’s most important alliance.

    On 10 February, Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel imports. As promised during his campaign, he plans to expand his tariff blanket further, imposing 10% to 20% duties on all imports into the United States from every country. For export-dependent Europe, this is not good news. While European leaders claim they are better prepared for Trump’s second term, the reality is they are in a far weaker position than in his first.

    With a major war on its eastern border, crushing energy costs, and political turmoil roiling the union’s anchor members Germany and France, stability across the continent is at risk as Trump forges ahead without the EU to cut a deal with Russia President Vladimir Putin.

    Tune into this special podcast as Senior Research Fellow Keith Rockwell sits down the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to probe Europe’s strategy and the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs on the most important alliance in the world.

    Rockwell’s recent research for the Hinrich Foundation explores Europe’s two-pronged approach to deal with Trump and his tariffs. The European Commission is preparing both carrots and sticks, seeking to strike trade deals or retaliate forcefully if necessary. Even as European leaders weigh retaliation against the US on LNG imports, investment in US manufacturing, and military purchases, many in Europe believe negotiation is the best path forward, aiming to avoid a tit-for-tat trade war by increasing imports from the US rather than facing broad restrictions on EU exports. There is a lot to lose on both sides of the Atlantic.

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    55 分
  • Special Ep. - The rise of industrial policies and their global impact
    2024/12/10

    In this special edition of Current Accounts, the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Jia Hui Tee, Senior Trade Policy Analyst at the Hinrich Foundation, to discuss the rise of industrial policies and potential implications to trade and sustainability.

    In recent years, industrial policies have become a primary focus for governments worldwide. These policies, aimed at strengthening domestic industries, have significant implications for global trade and sustainability. As identified in the Hinrich-IMD Sustainable Trade Index 2024, global trade is experiencing a protectionist shift, with nations implementing measures to fortify their domestic sectors and secure supply chains for strategic goods. This year's STI indicates a notable increase in both tariff and non-tariff barriers, particularly by economies such as the United States, India, and China.

    With the heightened emphasis on supply chain resilience and national security, countries are increasingly focused on ensuring the production of strategic goods and technologies to maintain their competitive advantage. Such actions may have profound effects on trade outcomes, as highly protectionist policies could potentially strain international trade relations. It is, therefore, crucial to strike a balance in the application of industrial policies to prevent adverse consequences such as resource misallocation, trade fragmentation, and environmental harm.

    Tune into this special episode as Jia Hui Tee, Senior Trade Policy Analyst at the Hinrich Foundation, delves into the rise of industrial policies, how they impact trade and sustainability, and what governments can do to minimize their negative impacts on their trading partners.

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    25 分
  • Special Ep. - Fighting subsidies with subsidies
    2024/10/08

    After a long dormant period, industrial policy is back and dramatically reshaping global manufacturing. As large-scale subsidies proliferate, countries that used to take a laissez-faire approach to market governance have entered a race to subsidize strategic sectors. Companies are responding.

    Tune in here for an experimental 'podcast' on Kieran Thompson's 'Fighting subsidies with subsidies' article, created with Google's AI research assistant NotebookLM.

    Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

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    15 分