Ep. 05 The Fractured Age: What US–China Rivalry Means for the Planet

Globalisation is breaking apart — and the world isn’t prepared for what comes next.

In this episode, recorded live at Bain & Company London, we sit down with Neil Shearing, Group Chief Economist at Capital Economics and author of The Fractured Age, to unpack the new era of US–China rivalry, fractured supply chains, and the geopolitics shaping the global economy.

Neil breaks down why the last three decades of cooperation are over, how China rose to become a peer competitor to the US, and why everything from chips and critical minerals to EVs and green tech now sits at the centre of a global power struggle.

If you want to understand the forces reshaping business, politics, and the climate transition — this is the episode to watch.

In This Conversation:

• The end of globalisation (and why most people missed it) China’s rise, industrial strategy, and Belt & Road

• How US–China rivalry is fracturing the global economy

• Why Taiwan is the world’s most dangerous chokepoint

• The new battle for chips, rare earths & critical minerals

• Europe’s dilemma: climate goals vs security risks

• Who wins when supply chains redraw? (India, Mexico, Vietnam…)

• The future of green tech — and whether the West can compete

• What governments must do now to stay resilient