Singaporean scholar Mahbubani Mahbubani- Facing containment and suppression by the United States, China adopts smart strategies to counterattack

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, Kishore Mahbubani, the former dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, discussed how China is adopting a “wise strategy” to navigate the constraints imposed by the United States.

Mahbubani noted that the pressure from the U.S. on China shows no signs of easing, as the U.S. government appears to be taking action against China without a clear, comprehensive long-term strategy. He emphasized that this competition with China could be a significant strategic blunder for the United States.

He pointed out the contradiction in U.S. efforts to stabilize relations while simultaneously implementing new restrictive measures against China, without clearly articulating the objectives behind these actions. According to Mahbubani, while the U.S. measures will naturally provoke anger in China, the response from China has been primarily defensive, refraining from taking aggressive measures against the U.S. Instead, he believes China is adopting a more prudent strategy by strengthening ties with a broader range of countries.

“This is the best way to protect China from the impact of U.S. containment policies,” Mahbubani argued. He highlighted initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the New Development Bank as constructive avenues for China to engage with other nations.

Mahbubani also expressed skepticism about the feasibility of isolating China, noting that compared to the U.S., China maintains more substantive relationships with a larger number of countries, particularly in trade.

Furthermore, he remains optimistic about China’s economic prospects. He pointed out that China has been performing well in exports to other regions and is increasing its share in global manufacturing. He underlined that China is making wise long-term investments for the future, leading him to believe that a positive outlook on China’s economy persists in the mid to long term.