20 July 2026

How can the EU balance economic pragmatism with strategic prudence when facing a growing Chinese interest in European seaports? What does it mean when China acquires port authority, and how can the EU react? Increasingly, Beijing's investment in European ports has revealed a sensitive structural dilemma, exposing not only differences between EU Member States but also a lack of a comprehensive strategy that organises an adequate response guaranteeing European interests. 

15 June 2026

Is the era of unquestioned dollar dominance coming to an end? For decades, the US dollar has been the backbone of the international financial system. Yet growing geopolitical tensions, sanctions, and shifting trade patterns have revived a once-unthinkable question: can the world reduce its dependence on the dollar? In this episode, we explore China's efforts to internationalise the Renminbi, the realities behind the de-dollarisation debate, and whether the future monetary order will be defined by a single dominant currency or a more fragmented system of competing currencies.

10 March 2026

The green and digital transition runs on critical raw materials. And rare earths — used in everything from wind turbines to EV motors to defence systems — are the most strategically vital of all. China has been building its rare earth dominance since the 1980s. Today, it mines 70% of global rare earths, processes 90% of them — and in 2024, 95% of all EU rare earth imports came from China. That's not a supply chain risk. That's a dependency. Europe is waking up. The Critical Raw Materials Act and ResourceEU's fast-track mechanisms are the EU's answer — but policy alone won't close the gap.