Opinion: What can the world learn from rising Asian powers?

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Even though China has contributed immensely to Africa’s development, it should be mindful and sensitive to the continent’s political pulse, noted Singaporean academic and former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani.

Describing China’s involvement and infrastructure-building in Africa as positive, Mahbubani said China should nonetheless remain sensitive to the situation as its large economic presence “might lead to resentment not just in Africa but also elsewhere.”

China and Africa cooperates on railway construction in Africa./VCG Photo

“China has to feel Africa’s political pulse and calibrates accordingly,” said Mahbubani in response to a question during his speech titled "The West and the Rest: Clash of Civilizations or Fusion of Civilizations” at Peking University on September 24.

While African leaders acknowledge China’s beneficial and valuable contribution, Mahbubani noted that many of these leaders have to be elected and answerable to their electorate.

“It is therefore important for China to understand the local political dynamics and conduct their affairs on the continent carefully,” he continued.

The African Union Conference Center, headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is one of the biggest aid projects built by China. /Xinhua Photo‍

Moreover, Mahbubani was more optimistic about Africa than Arab countries.

Except for Dubai, Mahbubhani noted that most Arab countries have refused to learn from the examples of successful countries, especially those in Asia.

“The Arabs continue to send their students [to] Europe instead of Asia. They should stop going there. Europe is the past while Asia is the future,” said Mahbubani who described the Arab mind as one that “still remains colonized by the past.”

“More Africans are coming to learn from Asia. Leaders of Rwanda want their country to become the Singapore of Africa. African countries are keen to find the best model that works for them,” he added.

“However, Arab countries are a lot more insular and very cut off from the rest of the world. They are also involved in unnecessary fights such as those between the Sunnis and the Shiites,” said Mahbubani who suggested that Arabs should send more of its people to learn from Asia, especially ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Visitors sit in front of a train driving simulator to experience China’s High-Speed Rail system at the 2017 China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan of northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. /CGTN Photo

Mahbubani has argued in his book "The New Asian Hemisphere" that the system of global politics and international institutions such as the United Nations are created to benefit the West. He also made it clear that these institutions should make room not only to accommodate but also accept and cooperate with the rising Asian powers.

Noting that the West has already enjoyed 200 years of what he called “unusual and artificial domination,” Mahbubani acknowledged that the West has created and shared public goods with the rest of the world that has allowed many countries to succeed.

“However, the West has refused to accept that the world has changed fundamentally and still wants to control and dominate important institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank,” he stated.

“The Western rhetoric is beautiful. They spoke of global equality, opportunities and meritocracy. But (ultimately) they do not want to give up their control,” he added.

Mahbubani warned that the refusal of the West to share power with the rest of the world is likely to have negative ramifications and might even lead to further global troubles.

(Kishore Mahbubani is a professor at the National University of Singapore. He previously served for 33 years in Singapore's diplomatic service and is recognized as an expert on Asian and world affairs. The opinions expressed here are his, not necessarily the view of CGTN. Maria Siow contributed to the story.)