we can speak now to the historian sir max hastings.ou for speaking to us here this afternoon. first off, we're hearing a lot about this being the forgotten war, the forgotten army and just how brutal it was. what was it about this particular time in history that lent to those things we're now? it was a very hard business. it's hard enough at any time to risk your lives and make sacrifices for your country. but it becomes especially so if you feel that what's happening to you is not recognised. especially all through the latter half of the second world war, those who were facing in the so—called forgotten army in burma did often feel that all they heard about was the normandy campaign and the advance into germany, everything happening in europe to defeat hitler. whereas out there in the jungles of burma in dreadful conditions, british and we must forget —— mustn't forget, allied soldiers especially those in the indian army were suffering. also in the 21st—century etiquette is terribly important to remember that although the british and

the british historian max hastings has accused you of letting off chinese authoritarianism and repressionfar too repression of human and civil rights for far too lightly. aren't you guilty of doing that, kishore mahbubani?” aren't you guilty of doing that, kishore mahbubani? i am not a defender of chinese authoritarianism. i am an objective observer of chinese performance just for your information, the harvard kennedy school has come out with a study injuly 2020, pointing out that the level of support for the chinese communist party in the chinese population, and they did the survey over several years, has been going up steadily. why is that happening? are the chinese people stupid? that happening? are the chinese people stupid ? why that happening? are the chinese people stupid? why are they going from 80% to 90% for support for the chinese communist party because the chinese communist party has become, and this is what i'm talking about, one of the most met aquatic institutions in the world and i tell a story in my book, and i had a research assistant in my book, a bright young student

now, the british historian max hastings has accused you of letting off chinese authoritarianism and itsoo lightly. aren't you guilty of doing that, kishore? well, i am not a defender of chinese authoritarianism. i am an objective observer of china's performance. and, just for your information, the harvard kennedy school has come out with a study injuly 2020 pointing out that the level of support for the chinese communist party in the chinese population — and they did the surveys over a several—year period — has been going up steadily. now, why is that happening? are the chinese people stupid? why are they going up from 80 something to 90% something support for the chinese communist party? because the chinese communist party has become — and this is what i'm talking about — one of the most meritocratic institutions in the world. and i tell the story in my book — when i had a research assistant in columbia in early 2018, a bright young student from china telling me the story of her life. i mean, she graduated from high school, she was so sad, she was number two in the class. so i said, wh