新加坡的国际影响力从何而来

文/赵灵敏，微信公众号：世界灵敏度

 2015-11-06 世界灵敏度

万众瞩目的“习马会”将于11月7日在新加坡香格里拉酒店举行。两岸领导人之所以选择在新加坡，是因 为新加坡和两岸都有很深的政治渊源。台湾为新加坡训练军队，投桃报李，新加坡也曾多次出面，为台湾向海外购买先进武器。李光耀曾说道：“蒋经国帮了我一个 大忙，他提供新加坡武装部队一个野战训练的机会，让炮兵能作远程炮弹的实弹训练。在新加坡，那是不可能的。在当年很少亚洲国家愿意提供帮助的时候，他却帮 了我和新加坡。为此，我永远感激他和台湾的其他领导人。”而作为蒋经国“与外国政府首脑唯一的亲密私交”，大陆也曾寄望于通过李光耀，向蒋经国传递某些重 要政治讯息，而李光耀和新加坡与大陆的密切互动，更是举世皆知。

可以说，“习马会”的举行， 凸显了新加坡在两岸的影响力，也展示了其一直在苦心经营的软实力。放眼亚太，新加坡是为数不多的有一定国际威信和影响力、各方又都可以接受的中间人。每年 五月同样在新加坡香格里拉酒店举行的“香格里拉对话”，各国特别是中美均派出高级军事和外交官员参加，是亚太地区首屈一指的防务论坛。每年7月举行的“慧 眼中国论坛”，云集全世界的中国问题专家和政商名人，把脉中国的改革进程，同样引发高度关注。

事 实上，不仅军事外交上是如此，学术上似乎也是如此。几个月前，笔者受邀到新加坡国立大学参加一场关于香港政改的国际会议，在这次会议上，来自中国大陆、中 国香港、新加坡和周边几个国家的专家学者各抒己见，观点纷呈，会议气氛紧张激烈但不失礼貌友好。据了解，像这样云集了香港问题各方人士和观点的会议，无论 在内地还是香港都很难成功举办，唯有新加坡，才有可能将大家召集在一起。

影响力远超国家体量

1994年举行的汪辜会谈，应该是新加坡在软实力上的初露啼声。作为一个只有500万人口、面积差不多只有上海1/10的地球“小红点”，今天的新加坡在国际舞台上享有着远超自己国家实际力量的影响力。新加坡在构建地区软实力上的成功，大抵有以下几方面的原因：

http://view.inews.qq.com/a/WLD2015110606453406

The Historic Handshake

7 November 2015

Chinese President XiJinping and Taiwan President MaYingjeou meet for the first time.

The leaders of China and Taiwan have not met since the end of China's civil war in 1949.

President Xi Jinping visits Singapore

November 6, 2012

Chinese President Xi Jinping and wife Peng Liyuan arrived at Changi airport this evening and are eceived by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.

President Tony Tan hosted an official welcome ceremony for the Chinese President at the Istana.

 
The third Singapore-China government-led project will be based in Chongqing, Chinese President Xi Jinping said at a state banquet at the Istana today.

"During my visit, the two sides will officially launch the third project based in Chongqing," Mr Xi said in a Mandarin speech.

The Chinese leader also said that the two existing government-to-government projects - in Suzhou and Tianjin - are progressing well.

A bone china tea and coffee set with the Great Wall and Merlion patterns was presented to President Tony Tan.

A drawing of the Singapore Botanic Gardens by Pathlight student Glenn Phua is presented to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Glenn Phua, the talented student from Pathlight School (autism-focused school) whose drawing of the gate of the Singapore Botanic Gardens was presented to Chinese President Xi Jinping.



November 7, 2015

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday (Nov 7) that China has always insisted the dispute in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully through talks.

Freedom of passage in the South China Sea has never been a problem and will never be a problem Xi said, during a visit to Singapore.

Mr Xi also said that maintaining the sovereignty of territory and maritime rights is the Chinese government's responsibility, and that Asian countries should solve security problems using peaceful methods.

President Xi Jinping calls on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana. A warm handshake celebrating 25 years of friendship and still going strong.

The Chinese President and his wife Peng Liyuan had lunch with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching at Corner House restaurant at the Botanic Gardens.  

Papilionanda Xi Jinping-Peng Liyuan, a vigorous and free-flowing hybrid named is named in honour of President Xi and the First Lady.

Xi Jinping writes on his forthcoming visit to Singapore

[The writer is President of the People's Republic of China, and is in Singapore on a two-day visit starting today.]

On the occasion of my forthcoming state visit to Singapore at the invitation of President Tony Tan Keng Yam, I send my warm greetings and express my commitment to further the growth of China-Singapore relations to the Singaporean people.

Known as the garden state, Singapore is familiar to me, a country I have visited a number of times. During each of my visits, I have been deeply impressed by its dynamic development, its unique tropical urban landscape, and its friendly people who live in contentment.

The occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Singapore and 25th birthday of China-Singapore diplomatic relations adds to the significance of my visit.

In the past five decades since the founding of Singapore, the Government and people of Singapore have, with a pioneering and enterprising spirit, pursued a path of development suited to the country's national conditions.

Singapore enjoys prosperity, social stability and harmony among ethnic groups, and plays a unique and important role in regional and international affairs. Singapore's development has not only brought prosperity to its people, but it has also inspired other Asian countries in their pursuit of development. I am sure that under the leadership of the Singaporean Government, Singapore will make even greater achievements in its development endeavours.

In the quarter of a century since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Singapore have helped, supported and learnt from each other, and this has contributed much to our respective development. Indeed, these past 25 years have witnessed leapfrog development in our relations. China is now Singapore's biggest trading partner. Our bilateral trade last year hit US$79.74 billion (S$112.4 billion), a 28-fold increase over two decades ago.

Singapore was one of the first countries to get involved in China's opening-up programme and is now China's biggest source of investment, and an important offshore RMB (renminbi) trading centre.

Building on the success of Suzhou Industrial Park and Tianjin Eco-city, a third bilateral project of cooperation will be launched. Our cooperation in finance, science, technology, environmental protection, education, culture, social governance, law enforcement and security has been deepened, and produced many deliverables.

There are good reasons why China-Singapore relations have come such a long way.

The leaders of our two countries have approached our relationship as one of strategic and long-term importance, and charted the course for its growth. This has ensured the growth of China-Singapore ties in a fast-changing international environment.

We have formed synergy between China's development strategy and Singapore's unique strengths and development needs, fully leveraged the growing China-Asean relations and pursued practical and inclusive cooperation. We have successfully undertaken flagship projects of cooperation and pursued fruitful cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, finance, science, technology and cultural sectors.

We have expanded our cooperation into new areas, such as social governance, food safety, services and connectivity, areas which represent the trend of the new era and are in keeping with our respective development strategies. This has provided an inexhaustible source of energy for growing China-Singapore relations.

As an ancient Chinese teaching goes, one should constantly explore new ways forward to stay ahead. Today, as China-Singapore relations have reached a new historical starting point, we should build on past achievements to create an even brighter future for our two countries.

The following are the steps I believe we should take:

We should continue to provide leadership guidance. Strategic planning and top guidance, a valuable asset of China-Singapore relations, should be fully leveraged. We should maintain close high-level exchanges, strengthen political mutual trust, enhance strategic dialogue, approach our relations with mutual understanding and respect, and solidify the political foundation of China-Singapore ties.

We should deepen and expand our practical cooperation. China is endeavouring to sustain growth under new conditions by adopting the 13th five-year plan of development, deepening reform, opening up wider, implementing an innovation-driven development strategy, and adjusting and improving the economic structure. Singapore is now working on its Research, Innovation and Enterprise five-year plan to upgrade economic development. Our two countries should synergise our respective development strategies, expand converging interests, take solid steps to pursue cooperation projects, create new growth areas for cooperation and upgrade our practical cooperation.

We should pursue close cooperation on regional and international affairs. China, guided by the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, is committed to maintaining and promoting friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with its neighbours. We are pursuing the initiative of building a Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road; and we are dedicated to building a close community of shared future for both China and Asean and the whole of Asia.

Singapore is an important member of Asean, the current Country Coordinator for China-Asean relations and an influential actor on the regional and international stage.

Our two countries should jointly pursue various cooperation initiatives, boost development cooperation, and jointly promote integration in our region, peace and development in Asia and prosperity of the people of the world.

I look forward to exchanging views with Singaporean leaders on these steps and lifting China-Singapore relations to a higher level.

Bai Juyi, a famous Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty, described true friendship as being as valuable as gold. China is ready to partner with Singapore to carry forward the China-Singapore friendship, created and nurtured by the older generations of leaders of our two countries.

May the China-Singapore friendship continue to grow and thrive, just like the vibrant and luxuriant rain trees that one sees everywhere in Singapore.

Source: The Straits Times

Diplomacy And Being Sensitive To Your Neighbours

Mr Lee Kuan Yew's first visit to China was in 1976. But Singapore established diplomatic relations with China only on Oct 3, 1990 at the United Nations complex in New York, the last of the original Asean countries to do so. 

WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG?

Excerpt from the Straits Times:

With its majority Chinese population, Singapore had to be sensitive to the perception of its neighbours.

To avoid being labelled a "third China", Singapore wanted to be the last of the original five Asean nations to normalise diplomatic relations with China before it did so. Malaysia was the first to do so in 1974, and Philippines and Thailand followed in 1975.

Indonesia, in particular, had a difficult relationship with China. Ties were severed in 1967 after Jakarta accused Beijing of complicity in an abortive communist coup attempt.

Indonesia resumed formal relations with China in August 1990, after Beijing pledged not to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs.

That big swing to the PAP: What they are saying at the Institute Of Policy Studies Post-election Conference

1. SENIOR RESEARCH FELLOW Dr Gillian Koh (Survey of 2,015 voting age Singapore citizens for two weeks after the polls.)

Singaporeans aged 21 to 29, and those above 65 are among the voter groups who have shifted back to supporting the People’s Action Party (PAP). 

There was:
A dip in “pluralists” among the youngest group of voters (those who support greater political pluralism and changes in the electoral system, relative to other respondents). 
A spike in “conservatives” — who support the political status quo — within the oldest group.

Policy changes founded on “the ideal of Singapore as a continuous meritocracy” — such as SkillsFuture, the Fair Consideration Framework and dialing down of foreigner inflow — may have contributed to the shift among the voters in their 20s.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1OnbTvk

2. National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser (Survey of 3000)

Perceptions of government performance, governance, and the electoral system did not shift significantly before, during, and after the campaign.

People have already made up their minds (before the campaign) as to who they want to vote for. 

Dr Tan’s survey was conducted over three waves, including the two weeks before nomination day, the nine-day campaign period, and one week from Polling Day.

The top five issues that influenced votes most include cost of living, housing affordability, healthcare affordability, meeting retirement needs and government transparency and accountability.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1MgSidR

3. Associate Professor Eugene Tan

“In seeking to outflank the PAP, the Opposition ended up aggressively outflanking themselves. This drove conservative, middle-ground voters back into the arms of the tried-and-tested PAP.”

As a result, a potential “watershed”’ election turned out to be a “flight to safety”, Prof Tan said.

“The deep irony is that the electorate’s very receptivity to more political competition contributed to an Opposition blowback, resulting in a PAP blowout win. In short, the Opposition was blown away. No one expected this, not even the PAP.”

Prof Tan said that one of the mistakes the Opposition made was that it misread the electorate. “They attempted a time warp and sought to recreate the angst, anxiety and anger of GE 2011. But Lee Kuan Yew’s passing in March was still fresh and had a sobering effect on voters."

The election was won by the PAP not during the hustings, but with the work done between May 2011 and April 2015.

In conclusion, he said that “Singaporeans were arguably the biggest winners of GE2015”.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1NPDjXw

Singapore-China ties: 7 things to know about 25 years of diplomatic relations

Singapore and China mark 25 years of diplomatic relations this year.

On Friday (Nov 6), President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan will make their first state visit to Singapore.

In many ways, the ties between Singapore, a city-state of 5.6 million, and China, a behemoth with 1.3 billion people, have been unique.

Here are seven things about the two countries' relationship.

1. HANDSHAKE SEALS THE DEAL

Singapore and China established diplomatic relations on Oct 3, 1990 at the United Nations complex in New York.

Then Foreign Minister Wong Kan Seng and his then Chinese counterpart Qian Qichen signed a short communique and shook hands in a simple ceremony.

The signing took just two minutes.

Mr Wong said then that the agreement would simply formalise existing relations between Singapore and China, which were already warm.

2. WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG?

The ceremony took place 14 years after former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's first visit to China in 1976.

With its majority Chinese population, Singapore had to be sensitive to the perception of its neighbours.

To avoid being labelled a "third China", Singapore wanted to be the last of the original five Asean nations to normalise diplomatic relations with China before it did so. Malaysia was the first to do so in 1974, and Philippines and Thailand followed in 1975.

Indonesia, in particular, had a difficult relationship with China. Ties were severed in 1967 after Jakarta accused Beijing of complicity in an abortive communist coup attempt.

Indonesia resumed formal relations with China in August 1990, after Beijing pledged not to interfere in Indonesia's internal affairs.

3. BACK IN THE 1970S

Way before 1990, the friendship between the late Mr Lee and China patriarch Deng Xiaoping set the tone for Singapore-China ties.

Mr Lee visited China in 1976 where he met Chinese leader, Chairman Mao Zedong. Mao died later that year.

Mr Lee was also the first foreign leader to see the terracotta warriors, discovered two years earlier, in northern Shaanxi province.

Two years later, Mr Deng came to Singapore and Singapore's governance model strengthened his resolve to open up China.

Mr Lee called the diminutive Chinese leader "a giant among men", while Mr Deng had Singapore on his mind when he designed his economic reforms.

When Mr Deng made his famous "southern tour" to spur futher economic reform in 1992, he said: "Singapore's social order is rather good. Its leaders exercise strict management. We should learn from their experience, and we should do a better job than they do."

4. SENDING AMBASSADORS

A year after ties were formalised, Singapore sent its first ambassador to China. Mr Cheng Tong Fatt was in China for seven years. Before becoming a diplomat, he was permanent secretary of the Ministry of Culture.

The respective trade representatives' offices, set up in September and October 1981, were upgraded to embassies.

Diplomat Zhang Qing was China's first Ambassador to Singapore.

5. WE MEAN BUSINESS

China is now Singapore's largest trade partner, with two-way trade reaching S$121.5 billion last year. In January 2014, Singapore became China's largest foreign investor for the first time with US$7.3 billion worth of investments in 2013.

6. JOINT PROJECTS

Economic ties between Singapore have always been governed by pragmatism. Trade between Singapore and China did not stop even at the height of the Cold War.

By 1979, Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Deng had signed a trade agreement and trade representative offices were set up in 1981 to strengthen economic links between the two countries.

Singapore firms have multiple joint development projects with China including the Guangzhou Knowledge City, the Jilin Food Zone, the Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park and the Nanjing Eco High-Tech Island.

There are two state-led projects. The Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), launched in 1994, was the flagship government-level project.

The park, based on Singapore's Jurong industrial estates, was built to attract foreign investors into Suzhou. It suffered losses in the initial years as Suzhou officials promoted a rival industrial park owned by the municipal government.

Singapore cut its stake in the SIP from 65 per cent to 35 per cent in 2001, and it began making money that same year.

The second joint venture was the Tianjin Eco-City, which broke ground in 2008. The project, started to create a sustainable model for urban living, was home to some 30,000 residents as of August 2015.

It suffered superficial damage to its buildings during deadly explosions at a chemical warehouse 16km away in August.

Xi's visit on Friday may see Singapore and China announce a third government-to-government project in western China.

7. PANDA DIPLOMACY

Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia created a stir when they arrived in Singapore in 2012. They are on a 10-year loan from China. The loan, announced in 2009, was to mark 20 years of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

http://bit.ly/1QceJTd