54 min
33. Europe in the Age of Great Power Competition, with Hubert Védrine & Kishore Mahbubani Uncommon Decency
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- News Commentary
“It was the rise of Athens and the fear it instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable”. Writing over 24 centuries ago about the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides’ timeless commentary speaks to the tension arising when an emerging power threatens to overtake an established one, raising the odds of open conflict. Just like Sparta and Athens rallied neighboring city-states into their colliding orbits, the US and China, increasingly locked in great power competition, have their eyes set on Europe. The lingering doubts over the EU’s Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) with China, put on hold last month by the Parliament (EP), lay bare Europe’s pivotal role in this fractious geopolitical landscape. Between its traditional ally to the West, and its main trading partner to the East, the dilemma for Europeans is whether to remain a geopolitical playing field or emerge as an actor in its own right. How should Europe approach Sino-American competition, and could it be an opportunity to build “strategic autonomy”? Two seasoned diplomats and scholars join us to discuss: Hubert Védrine, Former French Foreign Minister, and Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore’s former UN ambassador.
As always, rate and review Uncommon Decency on Apple Podcasts, and send us your comments or questions at @UnDecencyPod or uncommondecencypod@gmail.com.
“It was the rise of Athens and the fear it instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable”. Writing over 24 centuries ago about the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides’ timeless commentary speaks to the tension arising when an emerging power threatens to overtake an established one, raising the odds of open conflict. Just like Sparta and Athens rallied neighboring city-states into their colliding orbits, the US and China, increasingly locked in great power competition, have their eyes set on Europe. The lingering doubts over the EU’s Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) with China, put on hold last month by the Parliament (EP), lay bare Europe’s pivotal role in this fractious geopolitical landscape. Between its traditional ally to the West, and its main trading partner to the East, the dilemma for Europeans is whether to remain a geopolitical playing field or emerge as an actor in its own right. How should Europe approach Sino-American competition, and could it be an opportunity to build “strategic autonomy”? Two seasoned diplomats and scholars join us to discuss: Hubert Védrine, Former French Foreign Minister, and Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore’s former UN ambassador.
As always, rate and review Uncommon Decency on Apple Podcasts, and send us your comments or questions at @UnDecencyPod or uncommondecencypod@gmail.com.
54 min