Taiwan remains Asia’s ‘most dangerous’ issue, former Singaporean diplomat warns

Veteran Singaporean diplomat Kishore Mahbubani warned that Asia remains shackled by "mental colonisation" despite being home to over half the global population, at the inaugural Penang Peace Dialogue in Malaysia. He cautioned that the end of physical colonisation does not automatically mean the end of mental colonisation, which continues to persist for several decades.

Mahbubani, who twice served as Singapore's ambassador to the United Nations and a Security Council president, noted that the tide of power may be shifting towards Asia, but it has not reached a tipping point. He emphasized the importance of improving China-India relations, with Southeast Asia needing to play a more active role in fostering better ties between the two nations.

Describing Taiwan as Asia's "most dangerous issue," Mahbubani cautioned that any conflict across the Taiwan Strait could draw in the United States, leading to a catastrophic confrontation that would devastate Southeast Asia. He urged Taiwan not to declare independence, warning that this would automatically start a war. Instead, Mahbubani suggested that Taipei should seek diplomatic arrangements that preserve the island's autonomy and way of life under reunification with mainland China.