The Economic Statecraft Initiative

Housed within the GeoEconomics Center, the Economic Statecraft Initiative (ESI) publishes leading-edge research and analysis on sanctions and the use of economic power to achieve foreign policy objectives and protect national security interests. Coercive and positive economic statecraft measures are increasingly used by the United States, European Union, and their allies and partners to address global challenges.

ESI convenes public events and private roundtable discussions to explore challenges and opportunities, providing policymakers and the private sector with unbiased data-driven analysis and actionable recommendations to shape economic statecraft solutions to global challenges.

The Economic Statecraft Initiative resides within the GeoEconomics Center, a translation hub at the nexus of economics, finance, and foreign policy with the goal of helping shape a better global economic future.

Research and Analysis

Testimony

On February 20, 2025, Economic Statecraft Initiative Director Kimberly Donovan testified to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission at a hearing titled, “An Axis of Autocracy? China’s Relations with Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Featured Report

The economic statecraft landscape is becoming more complex as transatlantic partners increasingly leverage economic power to counter transnational threats. There is a growing need to understand how these tools are used, by whom, and when, as well as their intended and real impacts worldwide.

New Atlanticist

Aug 10, 2023

A new White House order is taking aim at investment in Chinese tech. How will it actually work?

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman, Emily Weinstein

President Biden has signed an executive order restricting certain outbound investment in an effort to address national security threats that China may pose to the United States.

China Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Jun 22, 2023

The ‘de-risk’ is in the details: A look at Europe’s ambitious new economic security strategy

By Atlantic Council experts

The European Commission has just released its European economic security strategy, which is aimed at reducing threats from China and others to supply chains, critical infrastructure, and digital technology.

China Digital Policy

Econographics

Nov 8, 2022

What US outbound investment screening means for Transatlantic relations

By Elmar Hellendoorn

Whether the EU follows through with new outbound investment controls and what those might look like will also depend on the evolution of American national security policy and transatlantic diplomacy.

China Economy & Business

Econographics

Oct 12, 2022

Companies on the front line: Trends in overseas Chinese listings

By Maia Nikoladze

Delisting more than 150 Chinese companies is a bigger hit than Chinese private sector can take at this time. However, we don’t yet know whether Beijing will follow through on its side of the audit-sharing deal. 

China Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Sep 14, 2022

Sand in the silicon: Designing an outbound investment controls mechanism

By Sarah Bauerle Danzman and Emily Kilcrease

The stakes for rethinking the investment relationship between the United States and China are high. An outbound investment mechanism must be narrowly targeted, clearly defined, non-duplicative of existing tools, scoped proportionately to administrative capacity, and paired with meaningful multilateral engagement with allies and partners. 

China Economy & Business

Lexicon

Economic Statecraft Lexicon

A comprehensive resource designed to clarify and enhance understanding of key terms and concepts in the economic statecraft field. The Lexicon represents a collaborative effort to support more effective communication and informed decision-making on economic statecraft.

Events

Transatlantic Forum

The Transatlantic Forum on GeoEconomics is our annual flagship conference convening economic and financial leaders from both sides of the Atlantic, and launches cutting-edge research and analysis on transatlantic alignment on economic statecraft.

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Staff

Fellows