Kishore Mahbubani

Distinguished Fellow, Asia Research Institute @NUSingapore, Author of Has China Won?

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

The APP's July essay by @DannyQuah is important to understand both the limitations of economic and trade relations , as well as the possible role that small states can play, in enhancing peace in this era of great power competition. Do read: https://t.co/gdkg0gFcGr

[Asian Peace Programme @asian_peace]

The APP's July essay, by Professor Danny Quah, outlines why small states are more incentivised to shape geopolitics positively by enhancing cooperation, at a time when economic ties alone can no longer guarantee peace in great power relations. https://t.co/0IoJXP955A

[Amitav Ghosh @GhoshAmitav]

"... arrogance put the West to sleep at precisely the moment when the other civilizations decided to wake up."

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

In early June, a group of us gathered at the Castle of Lübbenau, near Berlin, for the Körber History Forum Retreat 2026. I was the opening speaker, along with Professor Margaret MacMillan of Oxford, on the theme: "The post-9/11 world: over, ongoing, or transformed?"

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

The latest APP essay by Mr Wesaka Puja on the Indonesia–Timor-Leste reconciliation is unique. Why? "The wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran have been a painful reminder of what a rare and difficult thing it is for conflicting parties to reconcile..." Do read: https://t.co/pYXoqp9ox7

[Asian Peace Programme @asian_peace]

Our latest essay for the APP, by I Gusti Wesaka Puja, looks at how Indonesia and Timor Leste managed to reconcile after their painful history. Their reconciliation holds key lessons for the world today. https://t.co/D4QZp9p1Jk

[Mishal Husain @MishalHusain]

As the month ends, here is some of the prep for the last 4 episodes: book by guests Ada Ferrer, David Dimbleby @mahbubani_k & @Scaramucci

Find the episodes here ⬇️
https://t.co/DaaLKL24dL

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

I recently briefly answered the question, "What will be the main long-term impact of the Trump-Xi summit?" for @NOTUSPerspect.

It can be read here: https://t.co/cToOQBQ3m4

[Fareed Zakaria @FareedZakaria]

On GPS, at 10am & 1pm ET on @CNN: I’ll discuss today’s great-power rivalries with @RichardHaass & @mahbubani_k, job-market uncertainty for new grads with @DKThomp, how those grads can find their life’s work with @jodikantor, and Turkey’s path of illiberal democracy with @suzyhans

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

The world is especially keen to find out the role that India will play in this present time of geopolitical turbulence. To understand this, Ambassador Shivshankar Menon's essay for the Asian Peace Programme (APP) is an important read: https://t.co/EgHtWC7G7C.

[Asian Peace Programme @asian_peace]

Our May essay, by Ambassador Shivshankar Menon, discusses how India can play a constructive role in an increasingly disordered and geopolitically turbulent world. Do read: https://t.co/XdXcbPLDAF

[Fareed Zakaria @FareedZakaria]

Could economic concerns keep China from invading Taiwan?

In the second part of our conversation, I discussed whether access to Western markets could be a guardrail on Chinese aggression against the island with President Emeritus of @CFR_org @RichardHaass and former Singaporean diplomat @mahbubani_k:

[Fareed Zakaria @FareedZakaria]

As Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin struggle through costly wars, in Iran and Ukraine respectively, what lessons is Xi Jinping drawing about Taiwan?

In part 1 of our conversation, I asked two veteran diplomats: @CFR_org President Emeritus @RichardHaass & @mahbubani_k of @NUSingapore:

[Fareed Zakaria @FareedZakaria]

On GPS, at 10am & 1pm ET Sunday on @CNN …
• As the US & Russia struggle through costly wars in Iran & Ukraine, what lessons will Chinese leader Xi Jinping draw about his ambition to take Taiwan? I’ll discuss today’s great-power rivalries with two veteran diplomats, @RichardHaass & @mahbubani_k
• Graduation day is a time to celebrate, but those receiving diplomas this month face AI uncertainty & a high unemployment rate among recent graduates. I’ll talk with @DKThomp, host of the podcast Plain English & author of an eponymous Substack newsletter, about these hurdles & how new grads might clear them
• Given those challenges, young people are feeling lost as they try to enter the workforce. I’ll sit down with @nytimes investigative reporter @jodikantor, who has written a new book offering hope & tangible advice, entitled “How to Start: Discovering Your Life's Work”
• Since the 2000s, Turkey has been traveling the path of illiberal democracy. I’ll discuss its trajectory with journalist @suzyhans, author of the new book “From Life Itself,” which follows one Istanbul neighborhood over a decade to understand the country’s changes

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

Kaja Kallas who - I kid you not - is supposed to be the EU's top diplomat, just described China as a "disease," specifically "cancer." 🤦‍♂️

Just as the entire rest of the world - including Trump's US - are deciding to re-engage with China, the EU prefers to insult them.

Why would China be "cancer"? Because, in Kallas' own description, their companies are more competitive and this forces what she describes as a binary choice for the EU: "morphine" - subsidize EU companies - or "chemo", become more hostile to Chinese companies.

Or maybe, just maybe, it's not binary, and if there's any cancer eating away at Europe's future, it's precisely Kallas' mindset - the reflex to call "disease" what is simply someone else doing a better job.

[Mishal Husain @MishalHusain]

In the full conversation @mahbubani_k shares the story of his childhood in the 1950s - the privations that are so stark compared to today’s Singapore

Listen here ⬇️
https://t.co/MepW8GNE5I

[Mishal Husain @MishalHusain]

Read the interview - with my notes - here

https://t.co/LyeNwoX96h

His father went from Sindh to Singapore aged 13, to work - his mother arrived in January 1948, months after a harrowing journey from Pakistan to India @mahbubani_k

[Mishal Husain @MishalHusain]

And read with my notes and reflections - which this time go from Pol Pot to Xinjiang, plus revealing details on the Singapore of @mahbubani_k 1950s childhood
Gift link 🔽
https://t.co/XvuApfCVCB

[Mishal Husain @MishalHusain]

From how the US indulged China when it was needed vs the Soviet Union to the 1993 summit when @mahbubani_k saw Clinton-Jiang up close. Watch alongside the news from Beijing today 🔽
https://t.co/54uckEigaJ

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

The latest essay for our Asian Peace Programme (APP), by Professor Akio Takahara, argues that Japan-China relations can be improved if both sides agree to resume and step up people-to-people exchanges. Do read this important essay here: https://t.co/e5oTOgvbGB

[Asian Peace Programme @asian_peace]

Our latest essay is by Prof Akio Takahara, on how Japan-China ties can benefit from promoting people-to-people exchanges. https://t.co/aYI1IK0K2N

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

I was interviewed by CNBC this week on the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the Iran war. Do watch: https://t.co/IsqAimCiTM

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

A little late in posting this. A month ago, I was interviewed by a South African podcast, SMWX, on the changing global order, particularly in the wake of the Iran war. Now two months into the war, I believe that the interview still holds up well! https://t.co/Gtl7vHVfg7

[Kishore Mahbubani @mahbubani_k]

I was recently interviewed on BBC on the election of the 10th UN Secretary-General. This election comes at a pivotal time in global geopolitics. Do take a look at the interview here: https://t.co/Cx2OIvp7wp