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SINGAPORE: Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said China's staging of the recent Olympic Games has shown that its people are united, organised and back on their feet.
Relating his experience at the Beijing Olympics in an editorial published in Petir, the People's Action Party's magazine, Mr Lee said China pulled out all the stops to make the Games a success.
"The Chinese people have shown the world their potential to become an advanced civilisation in the 21st century, equal to any other nation in the West", he said.
But success came with a price. Mr Lee said initial feedback showed that while many in Europe and America were impressed, they were also uneasy because China will no longer be easy for them to manage as in the past.
To put the world at ease, the minister mentor said the Chinese people should not engage in displays of nationalistic superiority.
"China's size requires them to act modestly to convince the world that their rise is peaceful. And in any case, they need another 50 years to reach the industrial, technological and R&D capabilities of America, Europe and Japan. In leading edge weapons, they still need to buy fighter aircrafts and submarines," he said.
For Singapore, Mr Lee said the lesson learnt is that talent, hard work and determination are vital for success.
The Singapore paddlers' performance in the Beijing Games also shows that the country needs to make itself more attractive to foreign talent to spur citizens and add to the strength of Team Singapore.
Mr Lee said Singapore may not be able to compete across the board with the big countries, but it can still find success.
"We can find niches in which we excel against other cities if we work hard, develop the abilities of our people to the utmost, and supplement ourselves with talent from China, India, Malaysia, ASEAN and the wider world, including America and Europe," he said.
- CNA/so
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