China vs the US: Kishore Mahbubani on a Zero-Sum Rivalry
5/15/202635 min
Beyond this week’s talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, there’s an epic tale that has been unfolding for decades. It’s a battle to be the world’s number one power and a much bigger story than the latest meeting of these two men.
Kishore Mahbubani is a former Singaporean diplomat who served as president of the United Nations Security Council. For two decades, he has argued that the West fundamentally misunderstands the rise of China and its challenge to American supremacy.
Mahbubani. who eventually turned to academia, now specializes in governance and public policy. In this conversation with Mishal Husain, he traces the story behind the Xi-Trump talks, the handshakes and the social media posts–and what may lie ahead.
Mahbubani also reveals how his own successes were made possible by Singapore’s remarkable growth.
Read this interview with Mishal’s notes on Bloomberg Weekend: www.bloomberg.com/Mishal
03:34 - “The most important contest of our time”
5:50 - “It's not about personalities”
6:26 - “China can no longer be stopped”
07:28 - US versus China: It’s a “zero-sum” game
08:40 - Bill Clinton’s first meeting with Jiang Zemin
12:35 - Cold War Comparisons
18:30 - Growing up in Singapore in the 1950s
19:53 - "My mother never cracked”
26:25 - “China has become a tiger”
30:24 - US war is a “gift” to China
Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
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Alex Wagner0:14
Being an American right now is a wild ride. The headlines come fast, but what do they actually mean for people's lives? I'm Alex Wagner, and on my new Crooked Media podcast, Runaway Country, I'm talking to people across the nation to uncover how political chaos is shaping their everyday realities. Join me and some of the smartest thinkers in politics to ask how we take back the reins of a runaway nation. Listen to Runaway Country with Alex Wagner every Thursday wherever you get our podcasts, or watch full episodes on YouTube.
Speaker 30:46
This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From iHeart podcasts, Saigon.
Kishore Mahbubani· Guest0:56
You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam?
Speaker 30:58
One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart.
Kishore Mahbubani· Guest1:02
This is for Vietnam.
Mishal Husain· Host1:03
They're pouring petrol all over him.
Kishore Mahbubani· Guest1:05
Freedom for Vietnam.
Mishal Husain· Host1:07
There's a fire coming to this country, and it's going to burn out everything.
Speaker 31:11
Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 61:17
Bloomberg Audio Studios. Podcasts. Radio. News.
Kishore Mahbubani· Guest1:25
Never before in human history have