Youth must see China beyond its major cities, Singapore beyond its Chinese majority: Chan Chun Sing

SINGAPORE – Young people in Singapore need to understand China beyond its major cities and not assume that it is monolithic, while students from China should also appreciate Singapore not just as a Chinese-majority society, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing.

“It is only when our youth spend the time and effort to truly understand one another in depth, that we will plant the seeds for future cooperation, never making the assumptions that we are similar,” he said. “But even though we are different, that does not mean we cannot work together.”

In fact, it is because of the countries’ differences that they each bring unique strengths to the partnership.

Speaking at the Singapore-China Global Young Leaders forum on Feb 6, Mr Chan said: “Both China and Singapore, in all our cooperation projects, from economics to security and beyond, bring our different perspectives and do it with mutual respect and a deep understanding of each other’s needs and problems.

“It is on that basis that I look forward to the youth of this generation continuing to carry the flame of mutual cooperation in the years to come.”

“There’s absolutely no reason why we cannot find common ground and work towards not just solving or managing domestic issues or improving our bilateral relationship, but also making a contribution to the rest of the world,” he added.

The minister, who spoke in both English and Mandarin, was addressing 450 students and guests from China and Singapore at the inaugural forum, held at ITE College East.

The students were school leaders from six Chinese provinces – Heilongjiang, Shandong, Beijing, Tianjin, Zhejiang and Xinjiang – and Singapore’s junior colleges, polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education.

Mr Cao Zhongming, China’s Ambassador to Singapore, was also in the audience.

The forum marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China.

At the forum, Mr Chan also posed a question to students, asking them to contemplate why two countries with historical differences are able to share things in “unique” ways.

He then offered: “The one and only reason that we are able to do this is... the mutual trust we have in one another.

“A mutual trust founded upon a deep understanding of one another, not making the assumption that just because we share some similarities in our cultural backgrounds or even the language used, that therefore we are similar.”

Deeper cooperation and understanding are essential for both to tackle shared challenges like climate change, an ageing population and a fragmenting global security order, said Mr Chan.

The minister also encouraged his young audience to “read widely, travel widely and make friends widely”, because it is only then that “real value propositions for future win-win cooperation” can be offered.

The forum also featured a fireside chat with Mr Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Mr Tan Yinglan, founder and managing partner of venture capital firm Insignia Ventures; and Assistant Professor Chen Wenqian of the National University of Singapore.

They spoke about ways to build trust and respect between Singapore and China, with collaboration being the key to a successful partnership, and some opportunities and challenges in the two countries.

Students also asked questions on cross-cultural competencies, overcoming communication barriers, and how younger generations can adapt to multicultural environments.

Mr Desmond Tan said it is vital to build trust and respect in understanding each other’s cultures and focus on “mutual areas of interest”.

He added that the relationship between Singapore and China should not just be built for the short term, but for the long term, and that, in committing to working together, both countries will have a “deep relationship”.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic student Danish Nufael told The Straits Times that he enjoyed the forum, which left him wanting to learn more about China and its culture.

The Year 2 aerospace engineering student said that his key takeaway from the forum was Mr Chan’s question on how two countries that are different can share unique traits.

“I am curious about their (Chinese) perspectives on innovation and leadership, and how their cultural background influences their approach in those areas,” the 20-year-old added, saying that he hopes to visit China soon.