CONFIDENTIAL
042107
MDLIAN 949
CURRENT COMMERCIAL THRUST INTO CHINA FEATURED STRONGLY, WITH MINISTERS LAYING STRESS ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION WITH BRITISH PARTNERS (SINGAPORE TELNO 153) WHO CAN BRING MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE AND TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD ON SINGAPORE'S PERSONAL CONNECTIONS, MANDARIN AND GOOD STANDING IN CHINA. THIS ECHOED EXCHANGES DURING MR NEEDHAM'S VISIT AND YOU PROPOSED TO DISCUSS FURTHER WITH HIM HOW WE CAN GET THIS MESSAGE ACROSS IN BRITAIN. WHETHER SINGAPORE CAN DELIVER ON ITS PROPOSED AMBITIOUS TOWNSHIP PROJECT IN EITHER SHANDONG OR JIANGSU (SUZHOU) PROVINCES REMAINS TO BE SEEN AND THE WISH TO ATTRACT BRITISH FIRMS INTO THIS VENTURE, TOO, WAS EVIDENT. TRADE MINISTER DHANABALAN'S ASSESSMENT WAS MARKEDLY MORE SOBER THAN THAT OF HIS COLLEAGUES, THOUGH GOH, TOO, STRESSED THE NEED FOR QUOTE BLACK FIGURES: THIS IS NOT A CHARITY UNQUOTE.
5.
THERE WAS ALMOST A TOTAL MEETING OF MINDS WITH MINISTERS ON CURRENT WORLD ISSUES (SINGAPORE TELNOS NOS 153 AND 154) WITH A PARTICULAR RECOGNITION OF THE INTEREST SHARED BY OUR TWO ISLANDS IN AN OPEN WORLD TRADING SYSTEM. MINISTERS WERE BAFFLED BY FRENCH PROTECTIONIST SYMPATHIES (UNCOVERED DURING LEE KUAN YEW'S RECENT VISIT TO PARIS). YOUR CONSTRUCTIVE PESSIMISM IN ADVANCE OF THE G7 MEETING STRUCK A CHORD. MINISTERS SHOWED GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE SLOWER THAN EXPECTED PROGRESS OF AFTA TARIFF CUTTING (THAI AND INDONESIAN DEROGATIONS AND FOOT DRAGGING).
6.
ONLY ON HONG KONG DID OUR PERCEPTIONS DIFFER. THE PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER LISTENED POLITELY BUT WITHOUT REAL COMMENT (SINGAPORE TELNO 151). YOUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE WONG INTO YOUR CONFIDENCE PRIOR TO YOUR VISIT TO PEKING ALLOWED US TO PROMPT HIM OVER LUNCH INTO A MORE REWARDING EXCHANGE. BUT SINGAPORE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ITS LEAD FROM LEE KUAN YEW, WHOSE VIEWS ARE WELL KNOWN TO US.
7. YOU WERE INTRIGUED BY ASPECTS OF THE SINGAPORE MODEL, NOT LEAST THE TOTAL LACK OF CORRUPTION, ALMOST UNIQUE IN AN ASIAN CONTEXT AND THE OPEN PROJECT TENDERING PROCESS, WHICH MAKE OTIOSE MINISTERIAL REPRESENTATIONS ONCE BIDS ARE IN. SINGAPORE REFUSES TO SIT BACK AND REST ON ITS SUCCESS AND TALK WAS OF SEEKING OUT NICHES AND PARTNERSHIPS IN INDIA, INDO-CHINA AS WELL AS ASEAN AND CHINA.
SINGAPORE'S SENSE OF A BRITAIN IN STEADY IF GENTLE DECLINE, FUELLED BY LOCAL REPLAY OF STORIES FROM OUR OWN MEDIA, IS NOT EASILY COMBATED.
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HONG KONG DOMINATED YOUR MEDIA INTERVIEWS (COPIES
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