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Amidst these accelerating and, frequently tumultuous, impulses against the established global supply lines, a growing system rivalry between the “West” – comprising the US, the EU, and their Asian allies – and the Sino-Russian axis and their allies has intensified. The reassessment of economic ties with China as ambivalent and potentially risky has led to de-risking strategies at both state and corporate levels in the West, with Chinese countermeasures further solidifying a new era of a more fragmented, complex, volatile, and unsecure globalization. In this era, supply chains are increasingly characterized by reduced reliability, resilience, and security.

Furthermore, the erosion of the international liberal order, which has underpinned free trade since World War II, alongside rising global tensions, suggests a future generally marked by increased conflict and its disruptive impact on supply chains. A recent example is the regional fallout from the Gaza war following Hamas' October 7 attacks, which have heightened tensions in the Red Sea, posing threats to Suez Canal traffic. While less immediate, the eventuality of escalating tensions between China and Southeast Asian nations or a Chinese invasion of Taiwan present even way more serious risks scenarios to global trade.

Adding to this complexity, regulatory imperatives for supply chain management to align with ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) values introduce new challenges. An increasing number of jurisdictions now require companies to ensure their supply chains meet specific environmental, social, and governance standards, requiring comprehensive adjustments to their compliance management systems throughout the supply chains.

Against this backdrop, the panel discussion will explore an evolving landscape of global supply chains and discuss strategies for resilience and adaptation in the face of mounting pressures.

The roundtable discussion, jointly organized by the Thailand Office of Konrad Adenauer Foundation, CPG, and the Asian Governance Foundation, features among other speakers Gunther Krichbaum, an influential Member of the German parliament (Bundestag) who currently serves as the European Affairs Spokesperson of the center right CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag.

To register for the event, please click here.

The registration link will be open until 18.00 hrs of 26 March.