China has done the right thing

Former Singapore Prime Minister Goh hails results of China’s reform and opening-up

When Goh Chok Tong made his first trip to China in 1971, he described the experience as like “going to an alien country”.

Singapore’s emeritus senior minister and the man who succeeded Lee Kuan Yew to become the country’s second prime minister (1990-2004) said, “China was a totally different country back then.” He described how it took three to four days to get from Singapore to Beijing in the past.

“You flew from Singapore to Hong Kong, stayed overnight. Then took a train to Guangzhou where you also stayed overnight, before flying to Beijing if the weather permitted,” he said.

He described how men and women wore Mao suits, how workers were assigned places of work, and bicycles ... bicycles everywhere. Cities were run down and the people poor.

Since Deng Xiaoping introduced his reforms 40 years ago, the opening-up of China has had “a big impact on the world, positively”, Goh said.

 “Men and women wear the latest fashions and cars have replaced bicycles. Cosmetic sales flourish. People now travel freely in search of jobs, motivated by profit and wages rather than being bound to assigned places of work. Social habits have changed.”

 In terms of education, Goh said the biggest change has been in the large number of students now going overseas to study.

 “English is now more widely spoken. Admission to university is now based on academic merit rather than ideology,” he said.

“This has raised the standard of education, intellectual discourse and research.”

He said in diplomacy, China is now more active and has a presence in “all parts of the world”. 

 

China has done the right thing

Former Singapore Prime Minister Goh hails results of Chinas reform and opening-up

When Goh Chok Tong made his first trip to China in 1971, he described the experience as like going to an alien country. Singapores emeritus senior minister and the man who succeeded Lee Kuan Yew to become the countrys second prime minister (1990-2004) said, China was a totally different country back then. He described how it took three to four days to get from Singapore to Beijing in the past. You flew from Singapore to Hong Kong, stayed overnight. Then took a train to Guangzhou where you also stayed overnight, before flying to Beijing if the weather permitted, he said. He described how men and women wore Mao suits, how workers were assigned places of work, and bicycles ... bicycles everywhere. Cities were run down and the people poor. Since Deng Xiaoping introduced his reforms 40 years ago, the opening-up of China has had a big impact on the world, positively, Goh said. Men and women wear the latest fashions and cars have replaced bicycles. Cosmetic sales flourish. People now travel freely in search of jobs, motivated by profit and wages rather than being bound to assigned places of work. Social habits have changed. In terms of education, Goh said the biggest change has been in the large number of students now going overseas to study. English is now more widely spoken. Admission to university is now based on academic merit rather than ideology, he said. This has raised the standard of education, intellectual discourse and research. He said in diplomacy, China is now more active and has a presence in all parts of the world.