The Hinrich Foundation Trade Podcast

Unknown
  • 0.0 (0)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated Monthly

Hinrich Foundation is a unique Asia-based philanthropic organization that works to advance mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade. We believe sustainable global trade strengthens relationships between nations and improves people’s lives. We support original research and education programs that build understanding and leadership in global trade. Our approach is independent, fact-based and objective.

  1. Sep 8

    Special Ep. - The US vs. AI: Discussing the echoes of the Crypto Wars in AI governance

    In this edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA and Miguel Alberto Gomez, Senior Research Fellow with the Centre on Asia and Globalisation at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, sat to discuss US tech governance on frontier AI and policy lessons from the 1990s’ Crypto Wars.  On June 12, 2026, the US Commerce Department restricted foreign access to Anthropic’s Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models, citing national security concerns. The episode highlighted a policy struggle over how to manage the risks of increasingly capable, dual-use AI without undermining innovation or pushing users toward less-regulated alternatives.   Miguel Alberto Gomez, Senior Research Fellow with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s Centre on Asia and Globalisation, addressed this subject in “The US and Anthropic: Echoes of the Crypto Wars in the struggle over AI governance,” a paper written for the Hinrich Foundation in July, on how the Crypto Wars of the 1990s offer a cautionary precedent. Gomez’s paper discussed questions over whether tighter controls on advancing AI capabilities deliver greater security or backfire on their policy goals.  Tune in to this podcast as Gomez joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to discuss the challenge of governing AI. Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - The US vs. AI: Discussing the echoes of the Crypto Wars in AI governance

  2. Aug 25

    Special Ep. - Russia, China, and Southeast Asia’s nuclear power ambitions

    In this special edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Ian Storey, Principal Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, to examine Southeast Asia’s renewed interest in nuclear power and how Russia and China are competing to shape the region’s nuclear future. Southeast Asia is again giving serious consideration to nuclear power after decades of hesitation. Rising electricity demand, commitments to achieve net-zero emissions, recent energy supply disruptions, and advances in small modular reactors are strengthening the case for nuclear energy across the region. Vietnam is moving ahead with plans for nuclear power, while Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand are at different stages of considering nuclear as part of their future energy mix. As regional interest grows, Russia and China are positioning themselves as important suppliers. Russia has a longstanding foothold, with Rosatom offering financing and construction of nuclear power plants, along with long-term operation and waste management, while China may be pursuing a longer-term strategy to expand its global nuclear role in the region. For Southeast Asian governments, the choice of supplier goes beyond technology and cost, raising questions about regulatory capacity, energy security, and the risk of long-term dependence on foreign suppliers. Tune in to this podcast as Ian Storey, Principal Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to discuss Southeast Asia’s growing nuclear ambitions, Russia and China’s push to deepen their roles as suppliers, and what this could mean for the region’s energy security and strategic autonomy. The podcast is based on Storey’s recent paper for the Hinrich Foundation, “Going Nuclear, Part 2: Russia, China, and Southeast Asia’s nuclear power ambitions.” Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - Russia, China, and Southeast Asia’s nuclear power ambitions

  3. Jul 28

    Special Ep. - Why China's industrial strategy is reshaping global competition

    In this special edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Robert D. Atkinson, Senior Fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), to discuss China’s growing technological and industrial strength, the areas in which the West still holds an advantage, and what it must do to remain competitive. China’s rise as a technological and industrial power has challenged long-held Western assumptions about how innovation, markets, and state intervention shape competitiveness, Robert D. Atkinson, Senior Fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), said. Its advantage rests not only on the size of its economy, but also on extensive, highly integrated supply chains, large-scale subsidies, and a state-directed model that aligns firms with national priorities. China already leads in electric vehicles, nuclear power, and telecommunications equipment, while advancing rapidly in robotics and investing aggressively in aerospace, biotechnology, and quantum technologies, he said. By contrast, the West’s remaining advantages lie in powerful multinational companies, a strong entrepreneurial culture, and greater freedom to innovate. But they count for little if innovation cannot be turned into competitive production at scale. Efforts to translate technological strengths into industrial capacity are plagued by short-term financial incentives, fragmented policymaking, inadequate US research funding, and weak coordination among allies, Atkinson said. The central challenge is whether the West can marshal its strengths behind a serious, coordinated industrial strategy before China’s advantages become more deeply entrenched. Tune in to this podcast organized by the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA and supported by the Hinrich Foundation to unpack how China’s state-directed model has proven so effective and why pressure is mounting on the West to respond. The podcast is based on Atkinson’s recent paper for the Hinrich Foundation, “Is the West better than China?” Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - Why China's industrial strategy is reshaping global competition

  4. Jul 14

    Special Ep. - Trump 2.0 and the future of dollar dominance

    In this special edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Stewart Paterson, Senior Research Fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, to examine whether the world is moving toward a more fragmented, multi-currency system as US inflation, alternative payment systems, and China’s renminbi ambitions test the dollar’s dominance.  The US dollar has anchored global trade and finance for decades, giving the United States extraordinary leverage over payment infrastructure, sanctions enforcement, and global financial stability. But the foundations of dollar dominance are coming under pressure. Persistent inflation, America’s deteriorating net international investment position, and China’s growing role as the world’s dominant manufacturing power are weakening some of the economic conditions that have long supported the dollar’s centrality.  But dollar dominance is no longer being tested by economics alone. The weaponization of dollar-based financial infrastructure has encouraged China and other economies to explore alternatives, while central bank digital currencies, instant payment networks, and platforms such as mBridge could make non-dollar settlement faster, cheaper, and more commercially viable. China’s renminbi remains constrained by capital controls and a fragile banking system, but its push to build alternative financial infrastructure points to the possibility of a more fragmented monetary order.  Tune in to this podcast as Stewart Paterson, Senior Research Fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to break down the economic, geopolitical, and technological pressures reshaping the dollar’s role in global trade and finance. The podcast follows up on Paterson’s recent paper for the Hinrich Foundation, “Trump 2.0 and dollar dominance: Make or break?” Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - Trump 2.0 and the future of dollar dominance

  5. Jul 7

    Empires of Trade: The Ruthless Battle for Global Wealth

    The Hinrich Foundation Trade Book Talk hosted a discussion with Jonathan Saunders, author of Empires of Trade: The Ruthless Battle for Globe. In conversation with moderator and Trade Education Program Director Alex Boome, Saunders examines trade not as a neutral exchange of goods, but as a persistent arena of strategic global competition. Saunders contrasts simple international trade with the complex web of modern globalization, arguing that a decades-long, relentless pursuit of corporate efficiency stripped supply chains of crucial redundancies. When recent macro-shocks hit, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and semiconductor shortages, this fragile, hyper-interconnected system fractured. Drawing deep historical parallels, Saunders compares historical mercantilist battles over commodities like nutmeg to today's aggressive struggles for dominance over advanced technologies and supply routes. To navigate this volatility, Saunders advises businesses to prioritize situational awareness and resilience by building contractual redundancies and cultivating backup supply networks. Looking forward, he outlines four potential trajectories for global commerce: a fractured "New Cold War," a volatile but sustained period of "Managed Competition," a devastating "Collapse of Globalization," or an optimistic, decentralized, and technology-driven "Globalization 2.0".  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Empires of Trade: The Ruthless Battle for Global Wealth

  6. Jul 7

    Special Ep. - Can the US and China rebuild trust?

    In this special edition of the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA podcast on global trade, Ana Swanson, trade and international economics reporter for The New York Times, sits with Merle A. Hinrich, chairman of the Hinrich Foundation, to discuss the role trade has played in the long arc of US-China ties, his perspectives on the superpower summit in Beijing, and what likely comes next for the world’s most important bilateral relationship. In late May 2026, days after President Donald Trump visited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing in a pivotal summit for the world’s most important bilateral relationship, Hinrich Foundation Chairman Merle Hinrich wrote an opinion editorial for the foundation’s Thought Leadership weekly. His essay, The US-China Trust Deficit, critiques the failures on both sides to move beyond domestic messaging to the more crucial task of mending longer-term trust between their nations. Trade has long underpinned the US-China relationship. That foundation is now under unprecedented strain. In this podcast with The New York Times’ award-winning veteran journalist Ana Swanson, Hinrich explores how decades of globalization shaped and warped the bilateral relationship, why Washington and Beijing now both view trade through geopolitics, and what rising protectionism, industrial policy, trade weaponization, and declining trust mean for the future of the global economy. A new multilateral trade framework might emerge “that is really very focused upon the balancing of the economic issues.” “Because if you don't have the domestic support for cross-border trade, you have a problem,” he said. Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - Can the US and China rebuild trust?

  7. Jun 30

    Special Ep. - What Hormuz means for Asia’s energy security

    In this special edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with William George, Director of Research at ImportGenius, to unpack how the Strait of Hormuz blockade has exposed Asia’s dependence on maritime chokepoints, Gulf energy supplies, and petrochemical inputs, with uneven consequences for China, Japan, and Vietnam.  The Strait of Hormuz blockade has exposed how a single maritime chokepoint can unsettle energy security, petrochemical supply chains, and manufacturing resilience across Asia. The disruption has not affected countries evenly. China entered the crisis with large crude stockpiles, some access to crude outside seaborne routes, and a coal-to-chemicals industry that has helped cushion the loss of Gulf-linked petrochemical inputs. Japan has avoided sudden shortages so far, but only by drawing down strategic reserves, turning to more expensive stopgap crude supplies, and absorbing rising prices for petrochemicals, plastics, aluminum, and construction materials.  Vietnam faces a different challenge. Its dependence on Kuwaiti crude and Gulf-linked petrochemical feedstocks leaves it exposed not only through energy imports but also through export sectors such as plastics, electronics, apparel, and machinery. Together, the three cases show how the Hormuz disruption is testing national buffers, supply chain flexibility, and the trade-offs countries face as they seek greater energy and industrial resilience.  Tune in to this podcast as William George, Director of Research at ImportGenius, joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to examine how the Hormuz blockade is reshaping Asia’s energy security, petrochemical supply chains, and economic resilience across China, Japan, and Vietnam. The podcast draws on George’s recent white paper, co-authored with Lynn Hughes and published with support from the Hinrich Foundation, “How the Hormuz blockade hits Asia: Evaluating the chokepoint effect on China, Japan, and Vietnam.”  Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - What Hormuz means for Asia’s energy security

  8. Jun 23

    Special Ep. - How the US-China race shifted from tariffs to chokepoints

    In this special edition of the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast on global trade, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA sits down with Evan Medeiros, Director of Asian Studies and the Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, to examine how the 2025 US-China trade war shifted from tariffs to chokepoints, exposing asymmetric vulnerabilities and ushering in a race for leverage across rare earths, semiconductors, and advanced technology.  The 2025 US-China trade war marked a structural shift in the bilateral relationship, moving beyond tariff escalation into a broader contest over chokepoints, vulnerabilities, and leverage. What began as tit-for-tat tariff measures evolved into a supply chain conflict as Washington and Beijing targeted critical dependencies to impose costs and extract strategic advantage. China’s rare-earth export controls exposed US vulnerabilities in industrial supply chains, while US leverage in semiconductor design software and advanced chipmaking tools underscored China’s continued reliance on American capabilities. Evan Medeiros, Director of Asian Studies and the Penner Family Chair in Asian Studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, argues that this new phase is best understood as a race: each side is trying to reduce its exposure to the other’s leverage while expanding its own. The result is a more fragile and disruptive form of competition, where interdependence itself can be weaponized as a source of power. Tune in to this podcast as Medeiros joins the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents-USA to examine how the US and China are adapting to a more contested era of economic interdependence. The podcast draws on Medeiros’s recent white paper for the National Bureau of Asian Research, published with support from the Hinrich Foundation, “A New Era of US-China Interaction: From Competing to Racing.” Download Transcript  Tune into the Hinrich Foundation’s podcast series for insights on international trade.

    Special Ep. - How the US-China race shifted from tariffs to chokepoints
See All (39)

About

Hinrich Foundation is a unique Asia-based philanthropic organization that works to advance mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade. We believe sustainable global trade strengthens relationships between nations and improves people’s lives. We support original research and education programs that build understanding and leadership in global trade. Our approach is independent, fact-based and objective.

Information

You Might Also Like