Western anxiety about losing global dominance fuels distorted views of China, Singapore's former UN envoy Kishore Mahbubani told China Media Group this week. In his signature blunt style, the veteran diplomat compared the situation to 🎢 'climbers panicking when someone reaches their mountain peak.'
Mahbubani highlighted that 2025 marks a crucial inflection point: 'After 200 years of Western primacy, seeing China lead in tech, infrastructure, and green energy creates genuine shock.' This year's breakthroughs in AI and quantum computing – fields where China now rivals Western leaders – have intensified what he calls 'geopolitical vertigo.'
But there's hope! 🌱 The scholar urged young people worldwide to bypass old stereotypes: 'Gen-Z interacts with China through TikTok trends and Shein hauls, not Cold War frameworks. That's where real understanding grows.' His advice for 2026? More student exchanges and less fearmongering.
