Beyond this week’s talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, there’s an epic tale that has been unfolding for decades.
It’s a battle to be the world’s number one power and a much bigger story than the latest meeting of these two men.
In recent years, the relationship between China and the United States has increasingly been framed as a rivalry.
Both nations are vying for global influence and leadership, each pursuing its interests on the international stage.
Kishore Mahbubani, a prominent academic and former diplomat, has often discussed the nature of this competition.
He emphasizes that the rivalry is not just about economics or military might, but also about ideology, governance, and perceptions of national destiny.
Both sides worry that any success by the other threatens their own status and interests.
Despite the tense atmosphere, Mahbubani has suggested that a new kind of thinking is needed.
The world is now so interconnected that cooperation, rather than pure competition, may be the only way forward.