“I think at the end of the day, each side has their own priorities. For China, the number one issue is how they deal with Taiwan. If they can get assurance that the Trump administration is not pushing for independence on Taiwan, that's a big win for China. And on the other side, if Donald Trump can get China to open up its market, accept more American exports and possibly even invest more in the US, then it's possible to have a win-win trade deal,” says Mahbubani.
Kishore Mahbubani, the former Singapore Permanent Representative to the United Nations, sees no winner emerging should a direct conflict between the US and China break out, but rather, a “loser and a loser”.
Speaking at CNBC’s inaugural Converge Live summit on March 13, he notes that while the possibility of this doomsday scenario transpiring is highly unlikely, both superpowers will continue in their joust for primacy of the world stage.
