Singapore's Role in China's RISE | Lee Kuan Yew & Deng Xiaoping

Lee Kuan Yew considers Deng Xiaoping as the greatest leader he's ever met. But Lee was also highly respected by Deng and modelled many aspects of China on the Singapore model.

Find out more in the video about how they first met and how tiny Singapore was so instrumental in China's growth story.

0:00 - Introduction
1:27 - Singapore-China relations & why Deng visited Singapore
3:18 - Deng & Lee's 1st meeting & aftermath
8:34 - Singapore's REAL impact on China

[BordersLess]

Additional Notes: Lee, who wanted to make Deng feel comfortable on his visit to Singapore, arranged for an ashtray (and a ventilation system to suck out any smoke) and his finest Ming porcelain spittoon to be placed next to Deng during their meetings - despite Lee embarking on a series of no-smoking and spitting campaigns at the time. However out of respect, Deng did not use them.

Singapore's MOFA on the relationship: Since the mid-1990s, more than 50, 000 Chinese officials have come to Singapore for various study visits and training programmes.

China is the only country with which the Singapore government has entered into major development projects., namely (a) the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park; (b) the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City; and (c) the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity.

They have also established a state-level bilateral level cooperation project, the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City and several private sector-led, government-supported projects such as the Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park, the Nanjing Eco High-Tech Island, and the Jilin Food Zone.

In addition, they also launched the Singapore-China (Shenzhen) Smart City Initiative. At the provincial level, they have eight provincial business and economic councils with Sichuan, Shandong, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shanghai.

[ragsoh]

In the 1970s, I remember that my parents would send money and clothings to our relatives in China. Singapore and China were utterly poor. But we did what we could to help our relatives. Fast forward 50 years, I would witness - during my lifetime - the rise of Singapore to become one of the richest countries on Earth - and China becoming the world's second largest economy. I am no expert on the economy. But I do know that for a country to succeed, you need strong leaders with iron in them, incorruptible and above all, they gave their all to their country. RIP my beloved Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Paramount Leader Mr Deng Xiaoping.

[marvinfok]

Both Lee & Deng were brilliant men. Both brought their own countries into a meteoric rise.

[seeanthonyn]

There is something extremely charismatic with how Mr. Lee speaks. If I were to describe it, its always with conviction and with sincerity and honesty

[danielwong]

I love the response PM Lee answered the question at the end of this video, brilliant answer from a man, himself a great man and a great visionary. Truely amazing, PM Lee will live in history of perpetuatety.

[JeanGuyRens]

This is one of the most instructive shows I ever watched about Eastern Asia. I did not know this relationship between Lee Kuan Yew and Deng Xiaoping. I will keep the link to show it to my friends. Thank you.

[ArchsStanton]

Anyone that even has a basic understanding of China TODAY can see VERY clearly the influence of Singapore.

[zeissiez]

I have worked for 1 year in Singapore and 24 years in China. It’s true that they have a similar system: very centralised, pragmatic, long term planning, meritocratic. But I believe instead of saying one is copying another, they are more inline with traditional Chinese governance system since Han dynasty. Communism was an imported ideology from the West, China is moving back to its roots.

[JIANGTG]

Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew knew clearly what are the right things all national leaders must implement for the well-being of people.

[中華傲訣]

Deng was not too different from Lee though he started his political career in Chinese communist party. His thoughts are actually very open minded as his early years working in France as a teenager during WW1 and his mentor, Zhou Enlai, another outstanding Chinese leader guided him in forming a pragmatic approach to things.

[charlesnorm]

This is what you get when two great men come together to build better futures. Fantastic video

[kevinphung]

Mr. Lee is an honest man who persistently made great efforts to keep the peace between Taiwan and the Mainland China.

[anthonyfong]

Brings tears to my eyes to see the amazing giants who shaped their nations. Their respect for each other is truly inspirational. Truly love how they both talk of each other with such awesome admiration. Love them both.

[sang-suangam]

China might have taken a page out from the [our] Singaporean book, but she is writing the rest of there book - her success story ! respect !

[Cyberpunk]

Lee Kuan Yew - we have never needed him more than today for the world.

[davidnhc]

It is undeniable fact that today's development in China was significantly influenced by Singapore. Deng Xiaoping, the architect of China's economic reforms, drew considerable inspiration from Singapore's rapid modernization and economic success under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew.

Deng visited Singapore in the late 1970s and early 1980s, where he observed the benefits of market-oriented policies combined with strong central governance. He admired how Singapore managed to achieve rapid economic growth while maintaining social stability and effective governance. This model resonated with Deng, who sought to implement similar strategies in China.

As a result, many of the economic reforms and open-door policies that Deng introduced were influenced by Singapore's approach. These reforms have played a crucial role in transforming China into a global economic powerhouse, demonstrating the profound impact of Singapore's development model on China's growth trajectory.

[papa-dtcv]

China Singapore relationship is like sincere brotherhood. Hope there are more great projects together.❤

[alexpan]

This video is THE BEST video I ve seen on YouTube. It is SPOT ON. China learned the most from Singapore . Why ? Because Singapore is a one party or one man led country for 31yrs yet they achieved prosperity. Lee Kwon Yew Ruled Singapore for 31 yrs. In current day Western countries opinion, they will call him a dictator. The success lies not on so called “democratic elections “, but on Education, good governance, and technology. One of the biggest difference between 1978 China and North Korea is MAO has no heir. His only Son died in the Korean War, by American Bomber. We are thankful to that American bomber so that nowadays China is not like North Korea. I was born in 1983 and at that time China was as poor as India and many African countries, and I have witnessed the unbelievable changes throughout my Life. Nowadays the living standards of China rival that of many developed countries. And we are now ahead of US and Western countries in terms of many aspects such as High Speed Train, 5G, EV, Cashless society, digital life, Shipbuilding, space exploration, etc etc.We are forever thankful to Deng xiaoping, the man who changed China forever.

[franciscocz]

Deng Xiaoping and Lee Kuan Yew not only changed their own countries, but they also changed the whole world. Many countries today are following in the footsteps of Singapore and China.
RIP to these two great statesmen.

[fabianlee]

Yes Deng saved China. Father of modern China.