Paris: The New Switzerland

Wharton alumni and global leaders gathered at the Asia Society France Summer Summit in Paris to discuss shifting geopolitical dynamics. The event highlighted Paris’s emerging role as a space for open dialogue amid global tensions.

In complex times, much like in Liu Cixin’s novel The Three-Body Problem, navigating the balance of forces has become central to survival. Today, those global forces are the United States, China, and the European Union. Paris, lacking the hard power of Washington or Beijing, has taken on a different function — that of a neutral meeting ground.

The summit revealed how France, through Paris, now operates as a stage where global powers can test ideas outside the harsh spotlight of political capitals.

“We designed Paris as a place to transcend binaries — beyond ‘hawk’ or ‘dove,’ beyond capital-to-capital talking points. China’s decisions now shape supply chains, tech standards, and climate outcomes worldwide. You need a room where that complexity can be explored with rigor — and without theatrics.”
— Duncan Clark, Founding Trustee and Co-Chair, Asia Society France

Paris as a Platform for Dialogue

Speakers framed Paris as a flexible diplomatic hub, capable of fostering nuanced discussions detached from national rivalries. This concept positions the city as a symbolic “new Switzerland” — a site for balance, exchange, and strategic reflection within an increasingly polarized world.

Author’s Summary

Paris is redefining itself as a global neutral ground, hosting genuine dialogue amid the world’s power rivalries and echoing Switzerland’s traditional role of balance.

Asia Society — 2025-11-03