Western commentary on China often swings between two claims: the Chinese only copy, and the Chinese cheated. George Yeo, Singapore’s former foreign minister, offers an explanation for that swing. In this conversation with ThinkChina, he argues the West is moving through the stages of grief over the end of its long dominance.
An alliance of civilisation
Asked whether the West still leads, Yeo questions whether a unified Western alliance can hold together at all. In his view, it rested on civilisational affinity, a shared history and culture, and that bond carries limited political weight. The war in Ukraine showed that Russia, a country with deep European roots, will act on its own interests. Under Donald Trump, America calculates for itself too, as its pursuit of Greenland showed. Each member of the old alliance, Yeo suggests, is now weighing its own position.
Five stages of grief
Yeo then applies the familiar five stages of grief to the West’s response to China’s rise.
- Denial came first, in the belief that China could only imitate and would never innovate.
- Anger followed, in the claim that China’s success came from stealing Western technology.
- Bargaining is where he places the West today. China’s advances in AI, electric vehicles, and batteries have become too large to dismiss, so Western governments are looking for terms on which to live with them.
Depression and acceptance, in his account, still lie ahead.
Looking inward
Yeo’s prescription is direct. The West should stop blaming others, examine its own condition honestly, and respond to China’s rise with clinical calm.
Why it matters for Asia
Southeast Asia sits close to the industries Yeo names. Chinese carmakers and battery firms have built plants in Thailand and Indonesia, and Western trade measures against Chinese EVs and batteries reach those supply chains directly. A West that moves from anger towards accommodation would ease pressure on Asian governments to choose sides. A West stuck in anger would keep that pressure high.
Which stage will the West reach next, and how long will it take? Watch the full conversation and judge for yourself.
Further reading
Kishore Mahbubani, Has the West Lost It? A Provocation
Source: ThinkChina Conversations (SPH Media). Interview by Chow Yian Ping.
