TNAG-2248-FCO40-3231-Trade-investment-conferences-concerning-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 44

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Over 6,000 Singaporeans are now resident in Hongkong. By and large, they are happy here and find the atmosphere exhilarating. More will come. A Singapore school has just been

opened in Hongkong. It has

has received good response, not only among Singaporeans but also among Hongkongers. Moving in the opposite direction, over 100 Hongkong families are now relocating to Singapore every month. About 3,000 families have re-located in the last two years. Some are 'astronaut' families. The Hongkongers in Singapore have their own clubs and meet regularly for mahjong and tim sum. They find Singapore less exciting but

not a bad place to bring up children. Hongkongers are making their way up the Singapore establishment, not just in business, but also in the Civil Service, in academia, in politics and in

other fields.

This exchange of people is good for both cities. For

Hongkong, Singapore is a backstop to the outflow of talent. Armed with Singapore passports, many will come back to work in Hongkong and in China. By air, we are only 31⁄2 hours apart. For Singapore, we are happy to co-opt Hongkongers into our ranks. Singaporeans who work in Hongkong become more internationalized

and entrepreneurial in their outlook. We also see Hongkong as our gateway into China. In other words, both Singapore and Hongkong benefit from this twinning arrangement.

RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA

In a small but not insignificant way, Singapore can help Hongkong maintain the integrity of its present system of government. After 1997, it will become more difficult for the

Hongkong Government to always look to London as a model because Beijing will be offended. Singapore can provide some kind of an alternative model. To begin with, our institutional inheritance is largely similar. Our two societies are also similar enough for direct comparisons to be made. Most importantly, Singapore is too small to pose any kind of a political or psychological threat to Beijing. China also knows that Singapore wishes it well because, a stable and prosperous China is good for all of East and Southeast Asia, and therefore good for Singapore.