Core Viewpoint - The fundamental misunderstanding of Western perspectives towards Asia is the belief that Asian countries cannot achieve comparable success even if they do not surpass the West, indicating a time lag in Western thinking that remains stuck in the 19th and 20th centuries [1] Group 1: Asia's Rise - The 21st century is predicted to be the century of Asia, with the rise of countries like China and India being unstoppable, suggesting that the West should learn to cooperate with the emerging Asia [1] - Mahbubani emphasizes that the West should accept the reality of Asia's rise with humility and learn to collaborate with Asian nations [1] Group 2: Mahbubani's Insights - Mahbubani's life and thoughts are shaped by high standards of professional training and a firm belief in Asia's rise, having worked with influential figures like Lee Kuan Yew [2] - He first publicly proposed the idea that "the future belongs to Asia" during his time at Harvard in the 1990s and has since advocated for the "return of Asia" [2] - The success of Asia is attributed to learning from the West in areas such as science, rule of law, and market economy, while also restoring civilizational confidence, which has propelled the rise of China, India, and ASEAN [2] - Mahbubani predicts that by 2050, Asia will surpass the West in terms of economic scale [2] Group 3: US-China Relations - The relationship between the US and China is entering a phase of "fenced competition," with the US struggling to accept the reality of being surpassed, indicating that this competition will be long-lasting [2]

Core Insights - The fundamental misunderstanding of Western perspectives towards Asia is highlighted, emphasizing that Asian countries can achieve comparable success even if they do not surpass the West [1] - The 21st century is projected to be the "Asian Century," with a call for the West to learn to cooperate with the rising Asian powers, particularly China and India [1][2] Group 1 - Kishore Mahbubani, a prominent Singaporean diplomat, argues that the West should accept the reality of Asia's rise and adopt a more humble approach towards collaboration [1] - Mahbubani's extensive diplomatic career and his critical works challenge Western-centric views and articulate the historical shift of global power from the West to the East [1] Group 2 - At a recent seminar for his new book, Mahbubani reflects on his career and the influence of mentors like Lee Kuan Yew, emphasizing a rigorous work ethic that shaped his pursuit of excellence [2] - He asserts that Asia's success is rooted in learning from the West while also reclaiming civilizational confidence, which has propelled the rise of China, India, and ASEAN [2] - Mahbubani predicts that by 2050, Asia will surpass the West in economic scale, and he describes the current state of US-China relations as entering a phase of "fenced competition" [2]