The Agenda Podcast

Send a text Keir Starmer has now become the first British Prime Minister to visit China in eight years. He met both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, calling China “a vital player on a global scale” with whom the UK was seeking “a more sophisticated relationship”. For his part, President Xi called on China & the UK to jointly advocate and practice “true multilateralism”. But what does all this really tell us about UK-China relations? On this edition of The Agend...

Send a text For more than half a century, Silicon Valley has been the epicentre of global technology. More recently, the rise of China has certainly begun to challenge that dominance. So how is the tech battle likely to play out? And are there other countries out there ready to become key global players? In this edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann is joined by Tech Expert and author of "The New Geography of Innovation" - Mehran Gul to find out.

Send a text As we come to the end of the first year of Donald Trump's second Presidency, a shift is underway in the United States. Political and demographic changes across the country have seen a new generation of leaders stepping forward and a different approach to multilateralism. But what does it all really mean for America and its relations with the rest of the world? Joining Juliet Mann on this edition of The Agena are Charles Kupchan, senior fellow at the Council on Fore...

Send a text As artificial intelligence spreads into almost every aspect of our lives concerns over its regulation are becoming increasingly acute. The EU recently signalled a potential delay to key enforcement deadlines of its landmark AI Act, which many see as a victory for tech giants in the battle for stricter regulation. So where is the world of AI and its regulation heading? On this edition of The Agenda Juliet Mann talks to Virginia Dignum, Professor in Responsible Artificia...

Send a text China has now set out its plans for the next 5 years. The blueprint for development from 2026-2030 covers guiding principles for economic and social development - everything from new technology to agricultural advancement, job creation to high-quality growth. So what does this all actually mean for China? And indeed the rest of the world? On this special edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann gets the thoughts of Dr. Palitha Kohona - Former Sri Lanka Ambassador...

Send a text The United Nations is now celebrating its 80th anniversary. Set up in the wake of the Second World War, it was designed to maintain peace across the globe, fostering friendly relations between nations. But eight decades on, with the world a markedly different place, what does the organization need to do to maintain its position at the heart of 21st century geopolitics? In this editon of The Agenda, Juliet Mann travels to Madrid to speak exclusively to Maria Fernanda Espinosa – who...

Send a text The rise of AI is set to send the semiconductor industry skyrocketing to a value of over $1 trillion by 2030. But as the market expands, so too does the battle for global control. So who's really leading the way? Just where do chips fit in to the current global trade tensions? And is the race to sign up a new generation of tech talent the next vital battleground? On this edition of The Agenda, Juliet Mann speaks to Dr Steven Hai, Assistant Professor in Tech-Innovation...

Send a text New UK Business Secretary Peter Kyle has had to hit the ground running. Just days after being promoted to the job he was off on a whistle-stop tour to Washington, and then to Beijing, where he helped to reboot the UK-China Economic and Trade Commission (Jetco) - which hadn’t met in seven years. But what does this really say about the state of the UK’s trade relationships? And where are the mutually beneficial opportunities for trade with the world’s second largest economy?&n...

Send a text 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the roles of the UK, US and the then Soviet Union are rightfully celebrated. But the crucial role played by China in the conflict is too often forgotten. So in this special programme, Jamie Owen talks to a panel of experts to consider just why that is, and also to see whether the lessons learned and institutions founded 80 years ago remain relevant today. At a unique event in Liverpool, Jamie is joined by Professor Yangwen Zheng from...

Send a text This week marks the final stages of the latest Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And with a prize pot of more than $70 million, it’s becoming very big business. The global market is projected to surge from $2.09 billion in 2024 to about $9.54 billion by 2034. The biggest market? China. So what’s driving this growth and just how big could this latest tale of sporting success really get? To find out, on this episode of The Agenda, Juliet Mann speaks to Chester King, Founder...

Send a text It's been a busy few weeks for global trade negotiations. After Donald Trump made a deal with EU Chief Ursula von der Leyen, US trade negotiators met their Chinese Counterparts in Stockholm - the third such meeting in as many months. There have also been US trade deals or ongoing negotiations with the likes of Japan and South Korea and India. So, six months after Trump stepped back in the White House looking like he wanted to upend the rules of global trade - just where a...

Send a text The recent BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro was the 17th annual gathering of the organisation. But it was the first since 13 new partner countries joined up - including Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey, and matters were largely overshadowed by Donlad Trump's threat on the last day of the meeting to impose a further 10% in tariffs on BRICS members for what he called "anti-American policies". So just where does this leave the voice of the global south? Joining Juliet Mann on this...