Can America and China Avoid a Collision?

Can America and China Avoid a Collision?
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Columbia SIPA
Published on Mar 8, 2018
Kishore Mahbubani, an expert on Asian and world affairs who spent many years in Singapore’s diplomatic service, gives the annual George Ball Lecture at Columbia SIPA.

Mahbubani is currently a senior advisor (for university and global relations) and professor in the practice of public policy at the National University of Singapore, where he served from 2004 to 2017 as dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Event date: February 21, 2018.
42 Comments
 Auggie Giuseppe
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Pardeep Tandon
Pardeep Tandon
2 months ago
Chinese leadership is based on Meritocracy and all Chinese member of politburo have an IQ of above 140. While that of American senator is 110. Meritocracy will any day beat Democracy in All parameters of human life.

22


Yang Zhang
Yang Zhang
3 months ago
Great talk~

10


jlkh03
jlkh03
3 months ago
Excellent discussion and Q&A period! I really enjoyed the questions from the audience and Kishore's responses. However, a few things that strike me as lacking in maturity are some of the audience (and facilitator's) remarks about giving China some space, creating a global system that ties in China's interests, and China following (or not) an international rules-based order vs creating its own set of rules.

The idea of giving China some space is cute. Pretty cute indeed. To be very frank, though, it's a silly notion that betrays a sense of skepticism and disbelief of China's current position in the world. And maybe even a sense of entitlement that China's current position and future prospects are at the magnanimity of US policy makers. This really isn't true and the possibility of it ever being true grows smaller each new day.

China is already shaping a global system that ties in its interests. As all other nations great and small have been doing. That's just how the world works. All actors shape a global system to meet its interests. The key question - the tough-headed, coldly calculating, and even dispassionate question - US policy makers and academics should ask is: does China meeting its interests align with, positively correlate with or even contribute to other global actors meeting their interests? And the answer, from my perspective, is yes. The development of middle-income, educated, working classes across Asia, Africa, the Muslim world, the non-Western world at large (or 85% of humanity), is linked to the development of China for the past 30 years and the future decades ahead. Some Chinese may be upset by some pessimistic perspectives in some parts of the West, but very honestly they can't be bothered because they've got work to do.

In international discussions, rules are often made that favour the world's strongest, richest and most powerful leading actors because only they have what it takes to enforce the rules and they often have the best thinkers. The sooner US academics understand this reality, the sooner they can realize that criticisms of China creating its own set of rules are mired in hypocrisy. That's simply how international rules come to be made at first and then evolve later. International rules are not a Western-led Godsend on Earth to last until the end of time. If they ever were, it only could have been true in the 18-20th centuries and only partially. China, like any other nation great and small, will write international rules and it will not - and does not intended to - do so alone. But rest assured it will write international rules.

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paulmaking1980
paulmaking1980
3 months ago
Great talk! I respect Kishore Mahbubani.

10


Pardeep Tandon
Pardeep Tandon
2 months ago
A pew poll in China showed over 80% of there population supported the policies of there government while only 30% of Americans fell the same way about there government

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Ben Wong
Ben Wong
1 month ago
One of very few objective evaluation  of China and the US and the underlying reason for the current conflict between the two powers.

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Masked Singer
Masked Singer
5 days ago
No. American culture is all about confrontation and domination. They formed their country with genecide of Native Indians and by overthrowing the English Empire. Also, look at their global footprint in recent decades. Americans are always dictating what other countries should do. If other countries do not submit, USA will then bully, coerce, or outright invade them. USA killed Japan's economy with the Plaza Accord when Japan was a threat. Now USA is targeting Europe and China before they can challenge its dominance. America will start wars to preserve its dominance. It is in their blood.

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typhooonn
typhooonn
1 week ago
Mr. Kishore Mahbubani is a extremely wise and knowledgeable diplomat an professor !

4


Ying Zhang
Ying Zhang
1 month ago
Taiwan is not an issue.

2


Pardeep Tandon
Pardeep Tandon
1 month ago
In Democracy one person has one vote . Will USA accept this concept of voting in say UN and not that of one nation has one vote? If this happens then west will have only 14% of the voting power in UN and no VETO power.

2


Herb Levin
Herb Levin
3 months ago
No cash, welcome to your slavery. Chinese are used to being slaves.

1


Shiv Shayer
Shiv Shayer
3 months ago
Just brilliant!

1


Richard Richard
Richard Richard
3 days ago
United states has been on collision with every country in the world after WW 2 killing tens of millions of innocent children and civilians in the name of democracy and freedom America human rights destroy peace and development in rich resources country throughout the world

1


Wiener Toby
Wiener Toby
1 month ago
Very informative talk

1


twenlil
twenlil
5 days ago
Kishore is right that there will no war on the Korean peninsula.

1


Фёдор Достое́вский
Фёдор Достое́вский
1 week ago
3 months layer this man was right about the korean peninsula.

2


Bow Lampar
Bow Lampar
2 days ago
it is not going to happen, US is kow towing to every wish of China now, its' influence in the world is declining, no more in collision course, it is your imagination.

1


Tony Montana
Tony Montana
3 days ago
8:55 80% of the audiences are with an eastern asian face. the majority of white race is right wing leaning now



Pardeep Tandon
Pardeep Tandon
2 months ago
As long as North Korea could not deliver nuclear missiles to mainland USA. USA was not bothered about North Korea but China was. Today North Korea has the potential to nuke USA . USA has become worried. The solution USA has is to go to China with cap in hand and China will solve the North Korea issue.



Richard Richard
Richard Richard
3 days ago (edited)
Hundred of millions of Chinese die fighting against America democracy after WW2



Ali Saw
Ali Saw
3 days ago
Thank you Kishore: your discreet way of answering the questions are packed with ' hard hitting truth'' ' to unravel the locked minds of the West.



Purez Entity
Purez Entity
6 days ago
US has law and order, different political philosophy, and so does China. The only leverage has over China is IP( intellectual property). What if, China start to have IP(Intellectual property) right? And enforce it internationally? China will surpass the US. Right Now, they has all the major manufacture factories, and the cheap labor force, plus the finances availabilities. All they need now is just IP.
This is just my analogy.



yi zhang
yi zhang
2 weeks ago
shame to see only a few americans in audience



Cayce John
Cayce John
3 weeks ago
about that SIPA as these person Kishore Mahbubani
[24:34]-[25:20] - no.., the China in the history is ruled by so many warlord and they know about their history and why would china grow in power during that year that they have a different ruler over a {120M. Chinese}.
[28:30]- [30:17] that doesn't really matter if you observed what they are or how these guy been paid for his mumble ramble things or how Chinese people paid for him.every thing he say's is all about Chinese people while living in N.Y.
[32:00]-[]- The American people did not bully in Chinese people not even one., but Chinese people steal and kill just to have a piece of island in Spratly's island these guy know nothing about the history. suck all words we can't have them. you stupid Chinese kishore mahbubani listen I will make clear enough for to understand so we will not lost like your mind lost Mr. Mabahu bani
Look all Viewers:
the point of collision is:
1. its not over who is the most powerful country in the world- its about enforcing the Law [UNCLOS] that some one is stealing or there is a clear Land grabbing and you Mr. Mabahu bani has nothing to do with it
2. the air force of United Nation is conducting a freedom of navigation base on the national Law that not all ocean or sea is belong to china Mr. mabahu bani.. you appear to know a lot but you are lose in the dark.
3. at first these guy has lost their respect to the UNITED NATION as a country that enforcing the LAW and there's no one that acting not you Mr. Mabahu bani its America and its you or your Chinese who steal country after country's island here..
these is just one path of clear understanding Mr. Mabahu bani and even if you are the most powerful country in the world doesn't really mean you still people ass., Mr. Mabahu bani.. you are lost in darkness Mr.bahu bani.. the meeting is useless because of you



Serena Chen
Serena Chen
2 months ago
The us is generous of they want china to be their slave do their dirty work.as chinese people are v hardworking people that why the chinese are v successfull.



rewtnode
rewtnode
1 day ago (edited)
The danger of a collision only exists because neither China nor the USA is de facto a democracy.



Suprianto
Suprianto
3 months ago
So many Chinese in the audience and yet the only people asking questions are westerners. Are the Chinese people only there to listen and take notes?



xxxlastmigxxx
xxxlastmigxxx
2 weeks ago
yeah dude we can see you love china and india but the true is that they have too many people and too many problems to became nomber one ,and they will never became a maritime power ,not when usa is  controlling the sea..japan may be the one wiht a chance of global super power in the future if he can get ai first ,,



4HORNS
4HORNS
4 days ago
China's rapid military and economic growth is to coordinate with the forthcoming Christ.
The Lord God has chosen him among Chinese, a nation more in number than any people.
Before his appearance, the earth would have a tremendous catastrophe in order to first
remove those evil countries which oppose the growth of China so that China can
smoothly assist the saint in the conduct of the world salvation.

From the Bible (KJV):

Deuteronomy 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy
God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon
the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye
were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:



Click Sun
Click Sun
1 week ago
No.  US has to take China out ASAP