Page 70 - EducationWorld Oct 2021

Books

New world has driven it to impose de-
mocracy, rule of law, and
order prophet HAS CHINA WON? American value premises,
Kishore Mahbubani
PUBLIC AFFAIRS on the not entirely willing
world.
FTER THE igno- Rs.2,200 On the other hand, for
minious retreat of Pages 310 all its professed commu-
Athe last American nism, the real objective
soldier on Afghan soil on of President Xi Ping and
August 31 — a Taliban pre- CPC is to revive and glorify
scribed deadline — a new the mid-1990s. After the ignominious China’s Middle Kingdom,
global geo-political order In an insightful chapter retreat of the US from which for millennia until
with the world divided into titled ‘China’s Biggest Afghanistan, a new the 18th century was the
two spheres of influence Strategic Mistake,’ the geo-political order is richest and most power-
(SoI) of democratic USA author recounts the great beginning to emerge. ful country in the world
and the People’s Republic enthusiasm with which This was foretold by generating 25 percent of
of China (PRC), is begin- America’s giant corporates the author a year ago global GDP. Invaded and
ning to emerge. North and including Boeing, General humiliated by the Mongols
South America and Europe Motors, Microsoft among and several foreign powers
is the new SoI of the US. others, made huge invest- faultless. In a balancing including the Western na-
Asia and Africa are set to ments in China. However, chapter titled ‘America’s tions in the 19th century,
become the SoI of PRC, or after these companies Biggest Strategic Mistake,’ President Xi Ping and the
more accurately of the 100 invested billions of dol- citing former American CPC want 21st century
million-strong thoroughly lars and established large secretary of state Dr. China to assume its right-
indoctrinated and tightly manufacturing facilities, Henry Kissinger and Indi- ful historical position as
controlled CPC (Commu- they began to be bullied an-origin political com- the world’s dominant eco-
nist Party of China). to transfer technology, mentator Fareed Zakaria, nomic and military power
An unsung but distin- suffered procurement dis- the author opines that the which will never have to
guished academic who crimination, experienced US establishment’s grave suffer the humiliation of
foretold this global geo- licensing difficulties and error was to have plunged foreign dictation.
political rearrangement inadequate data security into a global geo-political To insulate itself
more than a year ago is and protection of commer- contest with China without against foreign incur-
Dr. Kishore Mahbubani, cial secrets. first devising a long-term sions and domination and
founding dean of the Lew Simultaneously, the engagement strategy. establish hegemony in its
Kuan Yew School of Public PRC leadership took Mahbubani has no SoI, PRC has initiated its
Policy, Singapore, former advantage of WTO regula- doubt that a new era ambitious Belt & Road
Singapore ambassador to tions to flood the US and defined by a Sino-Amer- project to build highways,
the United Nations and Western countries with ican face-off for global ports and energy plants,
currently a distinguished duty-free exports designed power and influence, has which when complete
fellow at the Asia Research to help less developed dawned. Since the end of will traverse and connect
Institute, the National countries. The upshot of World War II, America has it with 70 countries. In
University of Singapore. this double-dealing is that been the world’s premier addition, it has emerged
Over the past few when President Trump super-power and engineer as the dominant nation in
decades, especially during announced a trade war of the UN, IMF, World the Trans Pacific Partner-
the presidency of Don- with China in 2016, “no Bank and other institu- ship (TPP) after President
ald Trump (2016-20), a one spoke up for China… tions that underwrite the Trump pulled America out
bipartisan consensus has not businesses, not China international order, and of this economic alliance.
emerged within the US es- scholars, and certainly no it has made its mission to The new China is the
tablishment that commu- one in Congress,” writes spread democracy and rule most populous and already
nist China is the greatest Mahbubani. of law worldwide. The US second wealthiest country
threat to global peace. This However if within has “a powerful but invis- of the contemporary world
is in sharp contrast to the the space of a decade, ible mental construct that with an annual GDP of $16
MFN (most favoured na- the US and China have has been deeply embedded billion, second only to the
tion) trade status that PRC transformed into hostile in American minds: the as- US ($21 billion), and Dr.
enjoyed with the US until antagonists, the US is not sumption of virtue,” which Mahbubani is sympathetic

70 EDUCATIONWORLD OCTOBER 2021