THEME
Past Lessons,
Future Ambitions
回顾过往， 展望未来
As
Singapore and China celebrate their 20th anniversary of diplomatic
relations this year, it is highly fitting and relevant to engage our students
in a forum focusing on the relations of both countries.
One
learns from the past to understand the future better. It is hoped that this can
be similarly applied to inter-state relations where governments engage each
other diplomatically.
OVERVIEW
This forum consists of three primary categories – History, Political
Economy, and Chinese Elite Politics. These broad categories are chosen to allow
ample room for discussion and reflection. We hope that our audience would
benefit as much as possible, by participating actively in the dialogue.
Our
speakers are well-known academics in their fields of research and the target audience of this Forum are NUS undergraduates and Junior
College students offering China Studies.
History Component: The Chinese Outside China
Chinese migration is not a recent
phenomenon, and is constantly evolving in form and substance. It is governed by
many push and pull factors. Ming Dynasty China under Emperor Yongle was open to
the outside world, accentuated by Zheng He’s travels
to South East Asia. Later, the Qing government adopted a xenophobic attitude
towards foreigners, whom they perceived as uncivilized barbarians. This mindset
resulted in the backwardness of a once-prosperous civilization, eventually
leading to the self-strengthening movement.
What are the trends and patterns of
the current Chinese migration worldwide? How does it differ from previous
waves? What do Chinese migrants look for in choosing the various destinations
for re-location? What makes Singapore stand out from other destinations? What
do new migrants take into consideration compared to the older migrants?
What are the socio-political implications of the current wave on China’s future
and the demographics of host countries? Terminologically, is it appropriate to
consider it the ‘new diaspora’?
What better person to approach, to
enlighten us all, than Professor Wang Gungwu,
renowned academic on the Chinese diaspora. We look forward to an engaging
dialogue with him.
Government and Politics
Chinese
leaders have consistently expressed their admiration for Singapore’s governance. This dates back to Deng Xiaoping’s official
visit to Singapore in 1978. Singapore-China relations are affirmed through various
partnerships, such as the Suzhou Industrial Park, the Tianjin Eco-City, and the
establishment of scholarships for Chinese officials at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
What are the qualities of Singapore’s governance
that Chinese leaders admire? What are the influences and development of
Singapore that Chinese leaders take into account in formulating domestic and
national policies? What lessons can China take from Singapore in alleviating
corruption? What aspects of Singapore provide more appropriate and relevant references
than Western countries?
Would the next batch of Chinese leaders engage
Singapore differently? What are the political stances and ambitions of the new
leaders and their future attitudes towards Singapore? We hope to be enlightened
on this list of uncertainties by Dr. Bo Zhiyue, who
is renowned for his works on Chinese Elite Politics.
International
Political Economy in South East Asia – Dollars and Sense
Trade
prospects between China and ASEAN have never been more optimistic, with the
effect of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in 2010. How does this impact
China’s economic policies towards individual member states in ASEAN? Would
individual ASEAN members states benefit equally, or would there be a zero-sum
game effect? How will ASEAN members
redefine their policies towards one another in the light of closer economic
relations with China? In addition, what are the implications of the recent
Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between China and Taiwan, on
regional states?
In
general, would the rise of China be a blessing or nightmare to regional states?
How
have Chinese leaders responded to Western critics and external opinions of its
increasing influence in Asia? What are their future ambitions in playing a
greater role in the region? What are the challenges faced by China in managing
its development? How is foreign diplomacy factored into the equation?
