S. RajaratnamFormer Foreign Minister of Singapore1965 - 1980
Transcript

A significant chapter in Singapore-China relations began in the 1970s. On 12 November 1978, China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping made his first official visit to Singapore, ostensibly as a reciprocal visit to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's visit to China in 1976.

While this was a “reciprocal visit”, the pair did not meet each other during Lee's visit to China as Deng had only resumed his political leadership role in July 1977. Nevertheless, Lee's first visit to China — made just before the end of the Cultural Revolution — showed him the great motivation behind China's reform and opening up, and became an important reference point for his subsequent visits to China.

At the same time, Deng also formed a deep impression of Singapore's development during his visit to the city-state. In the words of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Deng's visit in 1978 “ushered in a new era for friendly relations and cooperation between China and Singapore”.

16 March 1975. Foreign Minister S. Rajaratnam (first from left) and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Lee Khoon Choy arrived in Beijing. They met with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai (right) at the hospital in a meeting that lasted 45 minutes.

Rajaratnam conveyed the regards of Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

This was Singapore's first official “friendly delegation” to China. The ten-day itinerary included Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou.

According to reports, China hoped to establish diplomatic ties with Singapore as soon as possible, but during Rajaratnam and Zhou's meeting, Zhou expressed understanding about Singapore's wish for China to establish relations with other ASEAN countries first. Zhou also conveyed support for Southeast Asian countries to form ASEAN. When discussing overseas Chinese, Zhou encouraged overseas Chinese who had become Singapore citizens to be loyal to Singapore, and those who had not to abide by local laws and not interfere with domestic affairs. (Photo: Xinhua)

On the morning of 10 May 1976, Lee Kuan Yew and his delegation arrived in Lo Wu, situated on the border of Hong Kong and mainland China, before entering Shenzhen on foot. The delegation later boarded a fast train to Guangzhou, before heading to Beijing on a plane chartered by the Chinese government. (Photo: National Archives of Singapore)

10 May 1976. Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo (Mrs Lee), together with Foreign Minister S. Rajaratnam, Finance Minister Hon Sui Sen and others, received a warm welcome from Chinese Premier Hua Guofeng upon their arrival in Beijing.

12 May 1976. Lee Kuan Yew meeting Mao Zedong. Before the second round of talks between the Singapore and China delegations, Chinese protocol officers told Lee's group that Mao would be meeting him and a few members of the Singapore delegation at Zhongnanhai. It is mentioned in the book Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew, that the 82-year-old Mao spoke for 15 minutes during the meeting.

15 May 1976. Lee Kuan Yew and his delegation arrived in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. In 1974, China discovered the terracotta army pit on the east side of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum in Xi'an. After visiting the mausoleum, the Singapore delegation visited buried terracotta warriors at a site three li away.

14 May 1976. Lee Kuan Yew and his delegation visited Dazhai village at Yangquan City, Shanxi province, after leaving Beijing. They were warmly greeted by the welcoming party, comprising many primary and secondary school students. Amid the fanfare, the girls sang: “A flower of friendship blooms in Dazhai; a warm welcome to guests of Dazhai.”

At the Yan'an Revolution Memorial Hall located at the foot of Baota Mountain, Lee Kuan Yew and the Singapore delegation sat on stools, listening to the introductory tour. Lee and Mrs Lee are seated front row second and first from the right respectively.

21 May 1976. Lee Kuan Yew and his delegation taking a five-hour boat ride on the Li River to Yangshuo. In this photograph, he is sharing a light-hearted moment with Hon Sui Sen and S. Rajaratnam.

On 12 November 1978, Deng Xiaoping landed at Singapore's Paya Lebar Airport, where he was welcomed by Lee Kuan Yew and his colleagues S. Rajaratnam and Goh Keng Swee. This was the first meeting between Lee and Deng. This video provides a first-person narration of their conversation.

12 November 1978. Deng Xiaoping — then Vice-Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Vice-Premier, and Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission — arrived on a three-day visit to Singapore. Deng and his delegation were given a “red carpet” welcome. Lee Kuan Yew led a group, including Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee and Foreign Minister S. Rajaratnam, to receive the Chinese guests at Paya Lebar Airport.

November 1978. The delegations from Singapore and China held two rounds of talks in a Cabinet meeting room at the Istana, where both sides had free and frank discussions on international issues relating to the global and regional situations. (Photo: National Archives of Singapore)