ABSTRACT
Geoeconomics is the dynamic economic relationships of countries shaped by a multitude of intervening factors such as geography, politics, and business. In the past 30 years, the world economy experienced market integration, trade liberalization, aggregation of international financial markets, breakthroughs in technology, communication and transportation, which intensified economic integration and accelerated globalization. Central to geoeconomic relationships across countries is regional economic integration. Due to its importance in the political and economic well-being of a country, it has shaped the agenda in a country's international affairs. Geoeconomic relationships of countries shape their economic architecture. Geoeconomics has a profound impact on a nation's trade engagement. A country's selected geoeconomic posture has consequences. Germany demonstrated the importance of geoeconomics in its foreign policy agenda when it took a different standpoint from its European partners and opposed military intervention in Libya to prioritize its economic interests. This chapter provides an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.
