The modern world is witnessing a geopolitical confrontation unlike anything in human history. The rivalry between the United States and China is no longer just about trade wars, military expansion, or technological supremacy. It has evolved into a silent battle over who will shape the future global order.
Yet according to renowned Singaporean ex-diplomat, author and academic Kishore Mahbubani, this intensifying contest is becoming a dangerous zero-sum game that neither side can truly win.
Mahbubani argues that the world has never before seen two powers of such enormous size, economic strength, military capability, and global influence confronting one another simultaneously. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States enjoyed decades as the world’s sole superpower. However, China’s meteoric rise has fundamentally altered that balance.
China’s transformation from a poor developing nation into an economic giant has stunned the world. Hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens have been lifted out of poverty within just a few decades, creating one of the most dramatic economic success stories in modern history. Despite this rise, Mahbubani stresses that China still sees itself as a nation with room to grow, especially when its per capita income remains far below that of the United States.
This narrative was strongly echoed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recently emphasized that China is entering a new phase of development under its 15th Five-Year Plan. Xi highlighted how more than 1.4 billion Chinese citizens are pursuing “Chinese modernization” through high-quality development while drawing strength from a civilization spanning over 5,000 years.
At the same time, Xi acknowledged America’s own national aspirations, pointing out that the United States is approaching the 250th anniversary of its independence. He described the American people as revitalizing the spirit of patriotism, innovation, and entrepreneurship as they embark on a new chapter of national development.
In one of the most striking messages from his speech, Xi argued that the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” and the vision to “Make America Great Again” do not necessarily have to collide. Instead, he suggested both ambitions could coexist as partners than rivals to complement each other if both powers chose cooperation over confrontation.
For Washington, however, China’s ascent is increasingly viewed as a strategic threat. Mahbubani explains that regardless of which political party governs America, there exists a bipartisan consensus to slow or contain China’s rise. In geopolitical terms, dominant powers rarely welcome emerging challengers.
But this is where the rivalry becomes dangerous.
Mahbubani warns that geopolitics often operates like a zero-sum contest - where one nation’s gain is perceived as another’s loss. Such thinking risks pushing both countries toward deeper mistrust, confrontation, and possibly catastrophic conflict.
Ironically, while the two superpowers publicly compete, their economies remain deeply interconnected. American companies continue relying heavily on Chinese manufacturing and markets, while China still depends significantly on global trade structures influenced by the United States. Behind the fierce rhetoric lies a complicated web of “hidden handshakes” where cooperation quietly continues even amid strategic hostility.
Xi himself referenced one of the most symbolic moments in China-US relations: the famous Ping-Pong diplomacy of the 1970s. The exchange between table tennis players from both nations helped thaw decades of hostility and reopened communication channels after more than twenty years of frozen relations.
According to Xi, that diplomatic breakthrough demonstrated how mutual openness and cooperation could transform adversarial relations into constructive engagement. He further stressed that both Beijing and Washington gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation.
Mahbubani similarly believes the world cannot afford a prolonged Cold War mentality between Washington and Beijing. He points out that humanity now faces global crises that no single nation can solve alone - from climate change and pandemics to economic instability and technological disruption.
He logicallyly compares the world to a single boat containing 193 cabins representing different countries. Protecting one cabin becomes meaningless if the entire ship sinks.
This is why he argues that cooperation between the United States and China is no longer optional - it is essential for global survival.
Mahbubani also revisits history to show that diplomacy can still overcome hostility. He recalls the historic 1993 APEC Summit 1993 meeting between former US President Bill Clinton and former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. At a time when relations remained strained following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, Clinton’s unexpected warmth toward Jiang helped stabilize ties and demonstrated how personal diplomacy could reduce tensions.
Xi also stressed that whether China and the United States can maintain mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation will determine whether bilateral ties move forward steadily or spiral into instability. He described the China-US relationship as the most important bilateral relationship in the world, affecting not only the wellbeing of 1.7 billion people from both countries but also the future of over eight billion people globally.
At the same time, Mahbubani does not ignore criticisms directed at China. He acknowledges that Chinese citizens do not enjoy certain Western-style freedoms such as unrestricted political competition or full freedom of expression. However, he argues that China’s political culture prioritizes national stability and economic development over Western democratic ideals.
He also believes Western criticisms regarding human rights are sometimes selectively amplified for geopolitical purposes, particularly concerning issues like Xinjiang.
Meanwhile, Mahbubani warns that the United States risks weakening itself internally while focusing excessively on external rivalry. He highlights growing inequality and stagnant living standards among lower-income Americans, arguing that Washington should prioritize rebuilding domestic strength rather than obsessively trying to block China’s rise.
As Asian nations adapt to China’s growing influence, countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore are carefully balancing economic cooperation with strategic caution. Mahbubani notes that Asian diplomacy often revolves around pragmatism, mutual respect, and “saving face,” rather than direct confrontation.
Ultimately, Mahbubani’s message is not about choosing sides between America and China. Instead, it is a warning about the consequences of unchecked geopolitical arrogance.
History has shown that great power rivalries often end in disaster when leaders fail to understand one another’s fears, ambitions, and cultural realities. In an interconnected world facing unprecedented global challenges, the future may depend less on who wins the rivalry - and more on whether both superpowers learn how to coexist before the competition spirals beyond control.
By: Kpost
Information Source:
YouTube/BloombergPordcasts/The Mishal Husain Show , Fmprc
Kpost (ckhorsk@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.
