Night Owl Session under the Chatham House Rule

Words and Mortar: Laying the Groundwork for Economic Security

May 16, 22:15-23:30

Room: Shanghai

The battlefield of the 21st century has expanded well beyond the military domain. Diversification of supply chains, resilience of energy networks, demand for critical raw materials, integration of capital markets, proliferation of dual-use technology, and the race for AI supremacy are not merely commercial concerns—but strategic vulnerabilities that are piling up. The west has staked its economic prosperity on openness, but our adversaries have weaponised it against us. Financial, technological, and energy sovereignty have become the new frontiers of security strategy, while innovation is no longer an enabler but an imperative. How do we find our edge and keep it?