An in-depth panel discussion on 21 March 2024 of the Asia Society New York by two of the world's leading geopolitical thinkers - Kishore Mahbubani, 2023-24 Schlager visiting fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Perry World House; and Orville Schell, Arthur Ross director of the Asia Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations.
Apart from the angles flagged up by the discussion, much of US-China flashpoints is caused by deep-seated cultural diffferences and misunderstanding between the West and China. Chinese culture embraces The Art of War of "Winning Without Fighting" but also conflict avoidance through "Harmony despite Differences", accommodating each side half-way. This contrasts with the West's fixation with a "Win-or-Lose" "Zero-sum" "on-the-table-or-on-the-menu" mindset. At the end of the day, if a panda grows to becoming a 1,000 ton-creature, even if it wants to be benign, it remains threatening!
