Kuala Lampur, Nov. 4 -- China is ahead - and the rest of the world, including Asean, is left in a trail of smoke. That phrase, once rhetorical, is now statistical reality.

From industrial output to artificial intelligence, from energy generation to human capital, China has built an ecosystem of dominance while others are still sketching their blueprints.

The message for Asean, especially during Malaysia's 2025 Chairmanship, was clear: if Asean does not bridge our power and education gaps, we will be digitised by others rather than digitalise ourselves.

China's architecture of advantage

Beijing's ascent is not accidental. Over four decades, it has fused state direction with market dynamism to produce what might be called planned innova...