Then, the Singapore Government engaged Myanmar in a firm yet conciliatory manner without preaching from a moral high ground. It probably gave us more credibility with the Myanmar authorities than some Western governments which had hundreds of years of gun-powdered imperialist history and which, until today, have less than pristine human rights records.

While the verdict is not out yet regarding Myanmar, we did what we could.

The timing by the Tibetans to broadcast their cause for independence is clearly not accidental. The upcoming Olympic Games which China will host is a good way for a group with special interests to advance its political agenda.

The Chinese do not have a history of imposing themselves on the rest of the world. It is not the nature of Han Chinese to throw their weight outside 'the family'.

The Singapore Government's support for the peaceful rise of China as a superpower and its right to manage its internal politics is wise.

At the same time, Singaporeans can see that what the Myanmar government did to its own people was wrong. In the case of Tibet, it is clear that using violence to crack down on protests is inappropriate.

Felix Ang Kok Hou