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Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Hope in fraught times: Trump-Xi bond could shift ties for the better, say US experts
Hope in fraught times: Trump-Xi bond could shift ties for the better, say US experts - US President Donald Trump's free hand domestically and open admiration for Chinese President Xi Jinping could make him the wild card capable of shifting the relationship between the world's two largest powers from rivalry to cooperation, American scholars have said. Speaking at a session developed in collaboration with The Straits Times at a World Economic Forum event in Tianjin on June 26, Harvard professor Graham Allison pointed out that Mr Trump is not a China hawk. 'If you look at the campaign last year, there were a thousand people running for office in the country in which 80 per cent of the people have a negative view of China,' he said, referring to the US general election in 2024. 'Only one person had positive things to say about China. This was Donald Trump.' Prof Allison noted that Mr Trump had said to Mr Xi that when China and the United States work together, they can solve most of the world's problems. He said he believed that Mr Trump is determined to be a 'great deal maker' and a 'great peacemaker'. 'If he is going to succeed in that mission, the opportunity for Trump and Xi to surprise us on the upside, I think, is enough to be hopeful,' said the national security analyst who has served under former US presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. Prof Allison's optimism stands out in the current climate. Since Mr Trump began his second term in January, the US-China rivalry has intensified – most notably with the US' imposition of unprecedentedly high tariffs on Chinese goods – leading many observers to take a pessimistic view of the world's most consequential relationship. His optimism is also striking, given that he is famous for popularising the 'Thucydides Trap' – a concept that draws upon historical pattern to suggest that conflict becomes likely when an established power feels threatened by a rising power. Another American scholar at the same session shared his optimism. Professor Monica Toft of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy said Mr Trump has significant leeway to take a softer approach on China, given that most Americans are not interested in foreign policy and that Congress and the courts are unlikely to challenge him. 'If President Trump decided he could align US interests more closely with China – without giving away the store – he has both the prerogative and the opportunity to do that,' she said. Prof Toft noted that global politics today is shaped by two strongmen – Mr Trump and Mr Xi – who share a personal rapport. 'They talk to one another, they respect one another, they admire one another,' she said. 'It could be an extraordinary period for humanity if they can find a way to collaborate and coordinate on certain issues.' Speaking at the same session, Professor Jin Keyu from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology also saw bright spots in an otherwise gloomy picture of the US-China rivalry. 'I do not agree with the view that they are in a new Cold War,' she said. She said while China and the US may be politically opposite and economically competitive, there is a need for them to cooperate to provide global public goods. 'There is space to collaborate, whether it's on the risk of artificial intelligence, climate, data transparency, and so forth,' she said. (Clockwise from left) ST Foreign Editor Li Xueying moderating a session with Professor Graham Allison, Professor Jin Keyu, Professor Monica Toft and Professor Happymon Jacob at a World Economic Forum event in Tianjin on June 26. PHOTO: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM At the session titled 'Geopolitics: An Unfolding Story', moderated by ST Foreign Editor Li Xueying, the panel also discussed the erosion of the 'nuclear taboo', a normative belief that the use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable, even in situations where it might be strategically advantageous. This concept was brought into sharp focus by recent conflicts. In June, the US and Israel attacked Iran to destroy its nuclear weapons development programme. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, which found itself less able to defend itself because it had given up its nuclear capabilities decades ago. Professor Happymon Jacob, who teaches nuclear disarmament at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, pointed out that while the taboo against the use of nuclear weapons remains, the taboo against the possession of nuclear weapons appears to be collapsing. 'Ukrainians would say we made a mistake in giving up our nuclear weapons,' he said at the same panel. 'The Russians will tell you that we have nuclear weapons, thousands of them. There is no way we are going to be defeated in this war.' He noted how South Korea, faced with the threat of nuclear-armed North Korea, is also thinking about developing nuclear weapons. Yew Lun Tian is a senior foreign correspondent who covers China for The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Express Tribune
28-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Former foreign secretary Najmuddin Shaikh passes away
Listen to article Former Foreign Secretary and seasoned diplomat Najmuddin A Shaikh passed away peacefully at his home early Friday morning in Karachi, his family announced. 'It is with the most profound sorrow that we announce former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador Najmuddin A Shaikh passed away peacefully in his home early Friday morning in Karachi,' the family stated in a statement sent to The Express Tribune. Funeral prayers for Shaikh will be held on March 28, after Asr prayers at 5:15 PM at the Phase VIII Graveyard DHA, Karachi. Shaikh, who served as Pakistan's Foreign Secretary from 1994 to 1997, was a highly regarded diplomat. Originally from Sindh, he joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1961 after graduating from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1962. Over his 38-year career, he held key diplomatic assignments, including ambassadorial roles in Canada (1987–1989), West Germany (1989–1990), the United States (1990–1991), and Iran (1992–1994). He was succeeded as Foreign Secretary by Shamshad Ahmad. Beyond his foreign service, he was Pakistan's special envoy to Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, and Bahrain in 2005. He also served as a board member at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, and was senior vice president of the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations. Shaikh is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Raana Shaikh, a former Managing Director of Pakistan Television and Secretary for the Ministry of Culture. He leaves behind two children, Nadir Shaikh, a partner at financial advisory Qatalyst Partners LLP, and Nermeen Shaikh, a broadcast news producer and weekly co-host at Democracy Now! He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Sobia Shaikh, and two grandchildren, Isaad and Lyali Shaikh. His siblings include Waheeda Noorul Hasan, Sirajuddin Shaikh (formerly of Sui Southern Gas Company), Air Marshal (Retd) Riazuddin Shaikh, Dr. Ajazuddin Shaikh, Dr. Rafat Arain, and Dr. Fareeduddin Shaikh. Reflecting on his legacy, his niece Erum Shaikh, Business Desk Head at The Express Tribune, described him as 'a treasure trove of knowledge and a distinguished diplomat who served Pakistan with unwavering dedication,' adding that, 'Conversations with him were not just exchanges of words, but journeys through history, culture, and human understanding. We were lucky to have him and he will be missed dearly.' The Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid tribute, stating, 'As Foreign Secretary, Shaikh brought visionary leadership to the role, shaping foreign policy with strategic foresight and mentoring generations of diplomats who followed in his footsteps.' Renowned for his diplomatic acumen, he was remembered as 'a steadfast advocate for international cooperation, regional stability, and human rights.' Condolences poured in from colleagues, friends, and officials. Pakistan Peoples Party's Sherry Rehman wrote on X (formerly Twitter), 'Grieved at the passing of former foreign secretary Najmuddin Shaikh. He was a veteran diplomat who kept serving Pakistan with the highest integrity well after his retirement. He will be sorely missed.' Former Permanent Representative to the UN, Maleeha Lodhi, called him 'a solid professional and good human being,' while former Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, described him as 'an honorable and capable diplomat who served Pakistan in difficult capitals and tough circumstances.' Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Khurram Dastagir lamented the loss of 'a dwindling breed of diplomats interested deeply in the world & with the ability to analyse global events.' Shaikh's family has requested prayers in his memory, stating, 'We ask all to offer Surah-e-Fatiha to ease his passage to a more tranquil world.'
