SearchSearch
News
Covid-19
Lifestyle
Lifestyle News
Hot Deals
Trending
Drama
Things To Eat
Things To Do
Stories Of Us
Celebrity
Heartwarming
Travel
Videos
Abroad
Weekend
Environment
+ More
Parliament
Perspectives
History
GE2020
CareersSearch
News
Covid-19
Lifestyle
Lifestyle News
Hot Deals
Trending
Drama
Things To Eat
Things To Do
Stories Of Us
Celebrity
Heartwarming
Travel
Videos
Abroad
Weekend
Environment
+ More
Parliament
Perspectives
History
GE2020
CareersSearch
← Back
Yeo was speaking about what Singapore can do in response to China's rise on the global stage.
| 
August 18, 2022, 11:14 PM
20 August 2022
12PM – 4PM, LASALLE College of the Arts, Lecture Theatre (Block F, Level 2 #F201) 1 McNally St, Singapore 187940
Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg
There is a need to create a core of Singaporean Chinese talent, former Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo said in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao that was published on Thursday (Aug. 18).
Yeo made this comment when discussing the current state of international affairs and Singapore’s future in it.
In particular, he noted the impact of China’s rise and spoke about how Singapore can prepare for it.
Yeo shared in the interview that all of us face the same reality that China’s rise will impact all our lives, especially “our children’s”.
“We should anticipate that future in which English will find its proportionate importance, but Chinese will become much more important for our future”, Yeo added.
Dangerous to rely on imported Chinese talent
Without a core of Singaporean Chinese talent, then we will be reliant on “imported Chinese talent”, Yeo opined.
“But there’s a danger in being too reliant on imported Chinese talent”, he cautioned.
That’s because they didn’t “grow up here”, and don’t have “the same early programming, the same intimate understanding of (the Singaporean) society”, Yeo continued.
“If you have a Singapore core, then you can accrete them around the Singapore core, and it’ll be alright”, he said.
“But if we don’t have a Singapore core, there’s nothing to accrete them around, and they may take our society in the wrong direction.”
In view of this, Yeo suggested that we should have ‘SAP’ universities and polytechnics.
‘“SAP” refers to schools under the special assistance plan, which was introduced in 1979 as a long-term scheme to promote bilingualism, particularly in Mandarin.
Multiculturalism enables us to “arbitrage opportunities”
During the interview, Yeo noted the importance of treasuring and nourishing the cultural “root system” of all races in Singapore.
He also thinks that being Singaporean is having a “meta-identity”.
Elaborating on this idea, he noted that one can be a Singaporean and at the same time, be Chinese, Malay, Muslim or Christian, for example.
“But being Singaporean doesn’t require you to choose being Muslim and Singaporean (or) being Chinese and Singaporean”, Yeo said.
“So Singapore must be big: big-hearted, big-minded”, he added.
This enables us to “arbitrage opportunities across different cultural domains”, Yeo said.
Singaporeans should be taught Asean anthem
Yeo also stressed the importance of Asean.
Speaking on the subject, he suggested that the Asean anthem be taught to all Singaporeans.
This will be important as U.S.-China relations are increasingly becoming tested.
“Sooner or later, we’ll be caught between U.S. and China. It’s a rock and a hard place”, Yeo said.
“If there’s Asean, then we’ll have more room to manoeuvre”, he explained.
Read more
Top image via Lianhe Zaobao
If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get the latest updates.
She has since deactivated her Facebook account.
August 18, 2022, 10:01 PM
Customers should insist on the portion size they are comfortable with paying.
August 18, 2022, 09:51 PM
Neighbours reported a foul smell emanating from the family's house.
August 18, 2022, 06:51 PM
Their films shed light on veterinarians’ mental health challenges, the reality of bipolar disorder, and systemic poverty.
August 18, 2022, 05:55 PM
Other Finnish celebrities were seen in the video.
August 18, 2022, 05:50 PM
Do it now.
August 18, 2022, 05:05 PM
The bus captain also told the road user to find him at the Hougang bus depot.
August 18, 2022, 03:02 PM
Candidates will have to attend a walk-in interview at the Holiday Inn Hotel at Johor Bahru.
August 18, 2022, 02:56 PM
It's good for the country.
August 18, 2022, 02:52 PM
The confrontation appeared to be over relationship matters.
August 18, 2022, 02:46 PM
About | Advertise with us | Contact us | We Are Hiring | Privacy policy
Copyright © 2020 Mothership. All rights reserved.