George YeoFormer Foreign Minister of Singapore2004 - 2011
Transcript

At the dawn of the 21st century, Lee Kuan Yew, now in his later years, continued to make frequent, albeit shorter, visits to China. He made 17 trips in total, including one in 2000 when he was conferred an honorary doctorate in law from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Lee attended the spectacular opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, witnessing China's show of discipline, determination and professionalism. He later wrote an article in Forbes Asia about the steps that China had taken to improve its hardware and software after winning the bid to host the Olympics.

Generations of Chinese leaders also regarded the founding prime minister of Singapore as “an old friend of the Chinese people”. True to this moniker, the first country that Lee visited in 2011 after he stepped down as Singapore's Minister Mentor was China. He met then Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping during the visit, and that was also the last time the 87-year- old Lee visited China.

Lee did not just leave behind his footprints in China, having walked up and down the country. He also left behind the tradition of leaders fostering understanding and close ties by exchanging frequent visits, which lives on to this day.

On 7 December 2000, Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew was conferred an honorary doctorate in law by the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). It was the first time CUHK had awarded this honour to a foreign political leader, which invited some student protests and demonstrations back then.

Lee was relaxed and composed, and urged Hong Kongers to abide by China's Constitution and the Hong Kong Basic Law to gain the trust of the Beijing leaders. Then only could Hong Kong's institution be changed to create a more representative and participatory government. Otherwise, its chief executive and all Hong Kongers would be trapped in constant friction with the central government.

June 2001. Singapore and Chinese leaders met in Suzhou to celebrate the seventh anniversary of the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). Chinese President Jiang Zemin also made his way to Suzhou from Beijing, transiting in Shanghai. Lee Kuan Yew met Jiang (right) at the Singapore-Suzhou International Hotel, where the two leaders exchanged gifts. Lee presented Jiang with a photo book detailing the SIP's achievements over the past seven years.

Lee said he cared about the SIP's development and hoped that the collaboration could contribute to China's modernisation. Xinhua News Agency quoted Jiang as saying that the joint celebration symbolised new developments in China-Singapore cooperation, and that China's modernisation efforts in the new century reflected its determination to continue opening up to the outside world.

June 2001. Lee Kuan Yew and Vice-Premier of the State Council Li Lanqing (first from right) presided over the celebratory events marking the seventh anniversary of the Suzhou Industrial Park. Here, they jointly unveiled the sculpture “Harmony” in Jinji Lake park. The sculpture was designed by Singaporean sculptor Sun Yu-li. (Photo: Suzhou Industrial Park)

June 2001. The Singapore and Chinese delegations present at the Suzhou Industrial Park's celebratory event (from left): head of the General Office of the Central Military Commission Jia Tingan; principal private secretary to Lee Kuan Yew, Leo Yip; director of the Central Security Bureau of the Communist Party of China You Xigui; Jiangsu Party Secretary Hui Liangyu; Secretary-General of the State Council Hua Jianmin; director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China Wang Gang; Lee Kuan Yew; Jiang Zemin; Li Lanqing; Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng; Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry George Yeo; Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi; Singapore's Ambassador to China Chin Siat Yoon; deputy director of the Central Policy Research Office Wang Huning; press secretary to Lee Kuan Yew, Yeong Yoon Ying; and Suzhou Party Secretary Chen Deming.

2004. Lee Kuan Yew met Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing.

May 2006. Lee Kuan Yew meeting Liaoning Party Secretary Li Keqiang (right) on a visit to Liaoning.

May 2006. Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng (right) hosts Lee Kuan Yew at a lunch banquet during the latter's visit to Shanghai. Lee said that if the transformation and reform plans of Shanghai and its Pudong New Area were to be completed by 2010 as planned, Shanghai's port and transportation hub, as well as its vision of becoming an international financial centre, would change the East Asian landscape.

Despite it being held on 8 August, the eve of Singapore's National Day, Lee Kuan Yew accepted China's invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping (right) was highly appreciative of this gesture. Xi thanked Lee for his strong support of the Beijing Olympics and for the assistance received from the Singapore government and community for the Sichuan earthquake disaster relief efforts. It was Lee's second visit to China in a year, during which he presented the Chinese edition of his memoirs to Xi. In November 2007, Lee met with Xi for the first time when the latter became a member of China's Politburo Standing Committee.

8 August 2008. Lee Kuan Yew attending the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (centre) and former US President George H. W. Bush (right). (Photo: National Archives of Singapore)

85-year-old Lee Kuan Yew participated in the celebratory events marking the 15th anniversary of the Suzhou Industrial Park in May 2009. In this photograph, former Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi and Lee are walking towards the stage to launch the celebrations. Behind them are Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan (directly behind Lee) and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng.

Lee Kuan Yew was one of the very few political leaders who met all five generations of Chinese leaders. This video gives a first-person narration of Lee's thoughts and impressions of each Chinese leader.