laitimes

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

author:Red Herald

On November 12, 1978, a Boeing 707 airliner stopped at Paya Liba Airport in Singapore, and on board came a man less than five feet tall, but walked with gusts of wind, his steps were brisk, and he looked very agile and tough.

The elder was none other than Tang Gong, and that day was the day he held talks with Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Duke Tang, Lee Kuan Yew

Three months after the talks ended, the war of self-defense against Vietnam officially began.

Previously, Deng had warned that if Vietnam went further, China would respond, a warning that many people saw as nothing more than bluffing, but only one believed it.

This person is Lee Kuan Yew, who just talked to Deng Gong three months ago.

So, who is Lee Kuan Yew? What did he talk about when he met with Duke Deng?

Lee Kuan Yew – the intermediary between East and West

Lee Kuan Yew's ancestral home in Guangdong, China, is an authentic Han Hakka family, as early as 1862, Lee Kuan Yew's great-grandfather moved from Guangdong to Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew is the fourth generation of Chinese Singaporean.

Growing up in an English- and Malay-speaking Chinese family, Lee Kuan Yew was sent to private school by his maternal grandmother at the age of 6 to study Chinese.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

When Lee Kuan Yew was young

However, Mr. Private's school did not actually receive a good education, according to the lecture is Mandarin, but the teacher speaks with a strong Fujian accent, because he cannot understand, let alone write with a brush, Lee Kuan Yew was very dissatisfied with this when he was young, and repeatedly complained to his mother to change his school.

However, his maternal grandmother was very tough, and their family still retained the strict traditional education of the Chinese family, strong ethical and moral concepts, and the tradition of attaching importance to the family lineage.

Later, after private school, Lee Kuan Yew changed to a Chinese language school, at this time, the Chinese class still caused him a headache, because he usually spoke English with his parents at home, Malay with his grandparents, mixed with some Chinese vocabulary, and with fishermen's children and friends in Malay mixed with Hokkien dialect, in his youth, Mandarin had almost nothing to do with his life.

After studying for two or three months, he begged his mother again to help him change schools, but fortunately he finally got his wish, entered a new school, and received a British education, because the teacher's words could be understood, his grades improved significantly, and he was admitted to the best British school in Singapore at that time, it was here that Lee Kuan Yew became one in a thousand elite students cultivated under the British colonial education system, and his unique attitude and personality traits began to take shape.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

During this period, due to the occupation of Singapore by the Japanese army, Lee Kuan Yew was forced to interrupt his studies, and after the war, he went to England to study, studied economics and law at the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge, and obtained a license to practice law in London.

After returning to Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew first worked as a lawyer and then negotiated with the government as a trade union representative, making a name for himself, building a deep mass base in the trade union, and laying the foundation for his future career in politics.

In 1959, the State of Self-Government of Singapore was established, and in the same year's general election, Lee Kuan Yew was elected Prime Minister of the State Government.

It was also this year that Lee Kuan Yew's Mandarin proficiency had improved significantly, writing in his memoirs: "My Mandarin has improved, although I can't speak it out, but it is enough to express my views without a speech at the election conference, and the Chinese-speaking masses respect me for me for my hard work to learn Mandarin, and I am becoming more and more confident in speaking..."

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Lee Kuan Yew's family

After that, Lee Kuan Yew had always hoped to merge with the Federation of Malaysia to form "Malaysia", thereby providing security for Singapore's economic development, but unfortunately the good times did not last long, and the "Singapore-Malaysia" merger split up two years after a brief merger in 1963.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote in his memoir "Wind and Rain Independent Road": "I have never been so sad, and the separation of the family has become a fact..."

In August 1965, Singapore became an independent country from Malaysia, with Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's founding Prime Minister.

After independence, Singapore was no longer a land of projectiles, without security and industrial resources, but it was in this context that Lee Kuan Yew brought Singapore into ASEAN with his outstanding political and diplomatic skills.

Then, relying on its superior geographical location, Singapore leveraged its strengths and avoided its weaknesses, attracted foreign investment, and launched a large-scale national policy of introducing high-quality immigrants.

Since the 1970s, Singapore's economy has developed rapidly, achieving take-off, from a place where the economy and defense are weak, suddenly among the "Four Little Dragons of Asia".

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Lee kuan yew

Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao once commented on Singapore's achievements: "Almost everything in Singapore today can be said to be created by Lee Kuan Yew. ”

If the British education he received as a young man under British colonial rule forged the door to Lee Kuan Yew's communication with the West, the subtle influence of his Chinese family from an upbringing and his choice to regain his Chinese after returning to Singapore from studying in Britain contributed to his indissoluble bond with China's leaders.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Lee Kuan Yew visits Henan

In the 39 years since 1976, Lee Kuan Yew has visited China 33 times, and in the 90s, he had to come to China once a year.

As a result, Lee Kuan Yew became an important bridge between China and the West, and in his other memoir, My Life's Challenge – Singapore's Bilingual Road, he wrote that Western leaders would want to know what China really thinks when they talk to him, and China will ask him about the West's true views on China.

Deng Gong's decision - a counterattack in self-defense against Vietnam

Lee Kuan Yew's later use of Mandarin did not stop at the level of greetings with Chinese leaders, but began to discuss some sensitive and important topics with Chinese leaders.

In 1978, the first year after China's rebellion, Tang visited Singapore to interview Lee Kuan Yew, where the two discussed the sensitive issue of Vietnam and the Chinese at the time.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

For Duke Deng, a trip to Singapore was also important on his wish list, and he had always hoped to visit Singapore and the United States before "meeting Marx".

When Duke Deng first came to Singapore, he passed through Singapore on his way to Marseille, France, after World War I, when he went to Marseille to study and work, but only a quick glimpse of Singapore, which was still a colony at that time, and by the time he returned to Singapore after 58 years of absence, Singapore had become an independent country under the leadership of Lee Kuan Yew and achieved economic take-off.

All this made him sigh: "Singapore has changed so much!" ”

Lee Kuan Yew also commented in his memoirs: "Deng Xiaoping was the most impressive leader I have ever met. ”

In the saying that at this point, two people can be described as "heroes cherish heroes".

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Chairman Mao, Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew's first visit to China as Singapore's founding prime minister was from May 10 to 23, 1976, when Deng Xiaoping had just experienced the "third downfall" in his life and was still "on the sidelines".

In 1978, the situation reversed and Duke Deng had re-emerged.

In Lee Kuan Yew's recollections, the 1978 meeting was so vivid that it is still vivid in retrospect years later.

The 74-year-old was short, lean, agile and tough, less than 5 feet tall, dressed in beige fur, as he stepped down from a Boeing 707 at Paya Liba Airport. He walked briskly, and after inspecting the honor guard, he rode with me to the hotel in the presidential palace. It was the welcome villa in our presidential palace. In the afternoon, we held formal talks in the Cabinet Room. ”

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

It is worth mentioning that "no smell of smoke", Lee Kuan Yew, who vigorously banned smoking in Singapore, specially prepared an ashtray in the cabinet conference room where he held talks with Deng Xiaoping that day, and specially placed it in the most conspicuous place.

Obviously, Lee Kuan Yew had learned in advance about Tang Gong's habit of smoking, and when Tang Gong met foreign guests, he would always bring cigarettes from home, and he couldn't stop smoking them, often one after another.

And this time to meet Lee Kuan Yew, he and Lee Kuan Yew have a spiritual rhino, and they both tacitly made concessions for each other.

Lee Kuan Yew asked him to smoke, and Duke Deng pointed to his wife Zhuo Lin and said, "The doctor asked her to control me and quit smoking, and I am also trying to smoke less." ”

The doctor's advice was true, and more importantly, because Duke Deng had seen reports that Lee Kuan Yew was sensitive to cigarettes and "couldn't smell smoke" earlier, this meeting, Duke Deng did not smoke all night.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

During the talks, Deng Gong spent two and a half hours talking about the threat posed by the Soviet Union to the world, and then comprehensively analyzed the Soviet Union's operational strategies in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South Asia, and the Indochina Peninsula.

By that time, the Soviet Union had already gained the upper hand in the fight for Vietnam. It is not clear why China's relations with Vietnam have suddenly become so bad, and it is even more difficult to understand why China suddenly withdrew all aid to Vietnam.

In their view, China would not only fail to win Vietnam, but would push it to the Soviet Union.

But in fact, the problem is far from so simple when it comes to national interests, and despite China's attitude, Vietnam has a choice, so why should it completely lean towards the Soviet Union when it knows that it does not suit its own interests in the slightest?

This is because Vietnam "had a dream of a federation of Indochina for many years," and even Ho Chi Minh (the Vietnamese leader who is close to China) had this idea when he was there, and China has always disagreed on this.

If Vietnam wants to realize this dream of a Union of Indochina Peninsula, China is seen as the biggest obstacle.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Vietnam

Based on this, China concluded that Vietnam will not change its position, but will become more anti-China, as can be seen from Vietnam's deportation of a large number of ethnic Vietnamese at that time.

Therefore, China stopped its aid to Vietnam after careful consideration.

Deng Gong said that China's previous aid to Vietnam has reached 20 billion US dollars, which can be described as the end of benevolence and righteousness, but after Vietnam ran away from the United States, it turned its face and did not admit it, expelled Chinese in China, and provoked incidents on the Sino-Vietnamese border, all of which we cannot tolerate without exception.

Deng said that in the next decade, China will consider pulling Vietnam out of the Soviet Union.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Vietnam

When Lee Kuan Yew heard this, he could not help but think that Deng Xiaoping was thinking in the long run, and that his way of thinking was completely different from that of the American leader.

For their part, U.S. leaders tend to be more concerned about short-term outcomes, because they need to account to voters about elections every four years.

In Deng's view, the really pressing question at that time was what China should do if Vietnam might attack Cambodia in a big way.

Speaking of this, Duke Deng humorously asked himself and replied: "What is China going to do?" It depends on how far Vietnam goes? ”

At the dinner, Lee Kuan Yew also continued to ask: "What will China do next?" ”

Duke Deng unconsciously pouted, squinted his eyes, and muttered: "It depends on how serious Vietnam's actions are." ”

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

In this regard, Lee Kuan Yew recalled: "I had the impression that if Vietnam's operation had stopped at the Mekong, the situation would not have been so dangerous, and on the contrary, once the offensive crossed the Mekong, China would no longer be able to stand still." ”

These remarks can be said to have given Lee Kuan Yew a full glimpse of Duke Deng's attitude and determination on the Vietnam issue.

In addition to the Vietnam issue, Lee Kuan Yew also traced the issue of the Chinese in Southeast Asia during this conversation between the two.

Lee Kuan Yew made it clear to Duke Tang that Chinese radio broadcasts were a direct call to ethnic sentiments against Asian Chinese, which was seen by governments as dangerous.

When Duke Deng heard Lee Kuan Yew say this, he showed his stunned expression, both in terms of expression and body.

Lee Kuan Yew originally thought that in this matter, Deng Gong's attitude would probably be the same as when Hua Guofeng talked in Beijing, and he would not pay attention to his views, but this did not happen.

Duke Deng suddenly leaned forward and asked Lee Kuan Yew, "What do you want me to do?" ”

Lee Kuan Yew was immediately taken aback, he never imagined that the old man in front of him, a great figure in Chinese history, would be willing to give up his own opinion, make changes at any time, and even ask him what to do.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

For Duke Deng's legendary life experience of "three ups and three downs", Lee Kuan Yew has obviously heard about it for a long time, and he needs to tell this battle-hardened revolutionary veteran in front of him what to do?

Lee Kuan Yew hesitated, but finally replied bluntly: "Stop those radio broadcasts, stop making calls, in fact, if China can not emphasize blood relations with Southeast Asian Chinese and do not appeal to racial feelings, it will be better for Asian Chinese..."

Tang listened to Lee Kuan Yew's advice and said only that he needed time to think about it. Soon after, those radio broadcasts were suspended.

"Chinese say a word is a sentence"

Deng Gong stressed to Lee Kuan Yew that Chinese heart is the same, and it has always been said one sentence after another, and during the Korean War, China issued a statement saying that once the United States approached the Yalu River, China could not sit idly by, but the Americans ignored it, and in foreign policy, China could say whatever it wanted.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

On the Cambodian issue, Deng Gong promised that China's handling methods would not be affected by the signing of a treaty of friendship and cooperation between the Soviet Union and Vietnam, and that even if Vietnam asked the Soviet Union to join forces to threaten China, China would not be intimidated, not to mention that the Soviet Union would not dare to blatantly provoke China.

Deng Gong said with a serious face: "The Soviet Union will eventually find that supporting Vietnam is an overwhelming burden. ”

Two months later, after completing his trip to Singapore, Deng Gongji embarked on another trip to the United States on his wish list, and successfully set off a wave of "Deng fever" and "China fever" in the United States, and at the same time, China and the United States established diplomatic relations.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

Duke Deng visits the United States

During his visit to the United States, when the reporter asked another question about Vietnam, Deng Gong said humorously: "Children are disobedient and will be spanked." ”

The implication is that if Vietnam goes further and further, China will surely respond, punish it and make the other side pay.

At that time, a China expert who worked for The Times believed that Deng's warning was nothing more than bluffing because the Soviet Navy had sailed into the South China Sea.

The views of this expert at the time could be said to represent the views of most outsiders.

Lee Kuan Yew, on the other hand, did not think so, and the conversation with Duke Deng three months ago made him realize that Duke Deng was definitely a cautious speaker.

Sure enough, a few days later, on February 17, 1979, a war of self-defense and counterattack against Vietnam broke out.

Lee Kuan Yew wrote his memoirs in his later years about his first meeting with Duke Tang: he was different from Hua Guofeng

A month later, on March 16, 1979, the PLA completed its combat mission and withdrew all of it home.

"Chinese say a sentence is a sentence" is again fully verified.

Read on