🌏 "The world is witnessing Asia's moment," declared Professor Kishore Mahbubani in an exclusive interview with CMG this week, as tensions and opportunities reshape 2025's geopolitical landscape. The Singaporean diplomat-turned-scholar unpacked three critical trends shaping our future:
🚀 Tech Revolution: "China's humanoid robot factories aren't just assembly lines – they're redesigning global supply chains," Mahbubani noted, highlighting how Shenzhen's AI clusters are attracting overseas investors despite political headwinds.
🤝 Global Governance: With the 15th Five-Year Plan unfolding, Mahbubani praised President Xi Jinping's Global Governance Initiative as "a bridge between developing aspirations and developed realities." He emphasized cross-strait tech collaborations as unexpected bright spots.
⚡ US-China Dynamics: "Decoupling is like trying to unmix pancake batter," the scholar quipped, predicting hybrid models where competition coexists with climate cooperation. His 2026 forecast? "Watch ASEAN become the new Switzerland of digital diplomacy."
📚 For young professionals navigating this new world, Mahbubani offered advice: "Learn Mandarin, but more importantly – learn to decode cultural contexts." His final thought? "The 21st century will be shaped by those who can hold multiple truths simultaneously."
