On the evening of May 15, 2024, 51-year-old Lawrence Wong was sworn in as Singapore's prime minister at the presidential palace and will continue to be in charge of the Ministry of Finance.
In addition, Lawrence Wong appointed Gan Kim Yong and Heng Swee Keat as Deputy Prime Ministers, of which Yen Kim Yong was promoted and appointed, and Heng Swee Keat was reappointed as Deputy Prime Minister, and the other cabinet ministers remained unchanged, thus officially handing over the fourth generation of Singapore's leadership. According to the analysis of local media in Singapore, Lawrence Wong's new cabinet has largely continued the selection mix during Lee Hsien Loong's tenure, which can be regarded as a smooth transition of "3G + 4G".
Lawrence Wong became Singapore's second prime minister outside the Lee family after Goh Chok Tong nearly 60 years ago.
(Lee Hsien Loong shakes hands with Lawrence Wong at the People's Action Party (PAP) annual meeting on 5 November 2023)
People who weep for Singapore
Huang Xuncai wears a pair of rimless glasses, and when he laughs, his eyes are narrowed into two slits, and he is not very tall. Those who have come into contact with him describe him as "reserved, stable, responsive and organized".
When facing the media, for relatively sensitive topics, Huang Xuncai will not avoid the important and trivial, but will lay out the facts and strive to give constructive thinking.
During the pandemic, Lawrence Wong, then Singapore's second finance minister, was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Singapore's anti-epidemic working group. At the height of the epidemic, Lawrence Wong was choked up at one point when he shared the "anti-epidemic journey of the whole people as one" in Parliament. At the time, the media described him as "someone who would cry for Singapore, someone who could be trusted." ”
Lawrence Wong's leadership and scheduling capabilities have stabilized the epidemic situation in Singapore and prevented the economy from being hit hard. He is considered to be a key figure in Singapore's smooth response to the pandemic crisis. Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao" described him as "the times create heroes".
(On March 25, 2020, Lawrence Wong wept during his report to Parliament)
On April 14, 2022, Lee Hsien Loong announced in a statement "without warning" that he had officially nominated Lawrence Wong as the fourth-generation team leader. "I have full confidence that Lawrence Wong and his team will continue to provide the best service to Singapore and Singaporeans."
Lawrence Wong is humble: "As we have reminded many times before, leadership is not inherited, and I will continue to serve Singaporeans wholeheartedly with other members of the fourth-generation leadership team, and strive to win the trust and support of all Singaporeans."
Cheung Chi-yin, Heng Swee Keat, Gan Kim Yong and Lee Hsien Loong sworn in (from left to right)
Since the beginning of 2023, the fourth-generation leadership team has been plagued by scandals involving key figures, which have brought shame to the Singapore government, which is based on "integrity and integrity".
When a "grassroots" leader comes to power, it is easier to stabilize people's hearts. When Mr Wong was confirmed as a fourth-generation leader on Nov. 5, 2023, he said, "I'm ready for the next task." ”
"grassroots" background, better understand the needs of the people
Lawrence Wong was born in Singapore in 1972 and is originally from Hainan, China.
Like most ordinary Singaporeans, he grew up living in a public house and attending a local school. At the age of 22, he received a scholarship to study in the United States. He received his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his master's degree in economics from the University of Michigan. He also received a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University in 2004.
After returning to China with the blessing of a prestigious school, the shrewd and capable Huang Xuncai entered the ranks of the Singapore civil service and started a 14-year career as a civil servant.
His first job was as an economist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Singapore. The first task was to prepare a report on the regional economy and its impact on Singapore.
It was 1997, the year of the Asian financial crisis.
At that time, this urban country was a dynamic financial center in Asia, with more than 100 foreign banks, and frequent connections with the international financial markets of the United States and Europe, which was a key factor in the flow of international financial and trade funds.
The financial turmoil struck the Singapore stock market, which caused heavy losses on the bonds and notes involved. Whether or not the tsunami can survive is a critical juncture for the country to face "life and death".
At that time, the Singapore government took decisive measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the global financial crisis and maintain its status as an international financial center.
Wong described the experience as "nothing I learned in school that prepared me for such a task" and recounted the experience of having to "learn by doing."
In the aftermath of the financial crisis, Lawrence Wong was posted to Singapore's Ministry of Finance, where his personal abilities caught the attention of Lee Hsien Loong, who was then Finance Minister.
In 2004, when Lee Hsien Loong became Singapore's third-generation prime minister, he appointed Lawrence Wong as his chief private secretary.
Lawrence Wong has had an extensive civil service career, including serving in Singapore's Ministry of Health and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Market Authority (EMA) under the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
In Singapore, successful political careers have gone through "job rotation". After being trained in various departments, Wong chose to enter politics with the encouragement of Lee Hsien Loong.
(In 2011, Lawrence Wong ran for Singapore Parliament)
In the 2011 Singapore parliamentary election, Lawrence Wong ran as a member of the People's Action Party (PAP) and eventually became a member of Parliament, marking the beginning of his political career.
Since then, Lawrence Wong's career has been climbing.
In his first year in politics, Lawrence Wong was appointed Minister of Defence and Minister of Education, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Over the past decade, he has been in charge of several key ministries such as the Ministry of National Development, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, and the Ministry of Communications and Information. He has rich political experience and excellent administrative leadership ability.
In 2021, Singapore's cabinet was reshuffled, and Lawrence Wong became Finance Minister.
In Singapore, the Ministry of Finance is almost identical to the succession of the Prime Minister.
Wong's growth path is similar to that of Heng Swee Keat, the personal secretary of Singapore's "Father of the Nation" Lee Kuan Yew. And Heng Swee Keat was once considered by the outside world to be Lee Hsien Loong's "successor". But in 2022, Heng Swee Keat decided to give up the opportunity to become the new prime minister, citing his health and age.
Since then, Lawrence Wong has become the successor of "all eyes on him".
In the eyes of the people, Huang Xuncai was born in an ordinary family, and he will know better what the people need if he works hard to become a leader all the way.
As his governing philosophy is, "I want to see a society and a system that benefits the many, not the few; It rewards a wide range of talents, rather than a select few who conform to traditional or narrow definitions of 'talent', it values and appreciates the talents and achievements of each individual, and it provides opportunities for all to make their lives better. ”
He integrated his background and life experience into his governing philosophy, and convinced the people that his governing philosophy was beneficial to the country and the people, because he himself was the best example of growing up under this philosophy.
Be a leader
In June 2022, Singapore announced a cabinet reshuffle, and Lawrence Wong was promoted to Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. Upgrading the economy, improving people's livelihoods, and renewing and strengthening the People's Action Party (PAP) have become his priorities.
Lawrence Wong launched the "Singapore Forward Together" campaign as a concrete move to achieve his vision of a society that "benefits many, not few".
Lawrence Wong, who was the fourth-generation leader of the group in Singapore at the time, believed that "the road ahead is more difficult". He once quoted the saying "no more than three generations of rich" to describe the current situation, and his purpose was to break the "curse" of "no more than three generations of wealth".
"We all know it's not easy, but I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Singapore is different," Wong said. I can't promise that this will always be the case, but I can be sure that in my lifetime, we will ensure that Singapore continues to prosper and that all Singaporeans share in the fruits of prosperity. ”
On 27 October 2023, Lawrence Wong released an update on the "Singapore Moving Forward Together" report, a blueprint for a better future together. At a press conference that day, Lawrence Wong stressed that "this is not a bottom-up government agenda. It brings together the consensus of Singaporeans from all walks of life and reflects our collective ambition and shared vision for the future. ”
Lawrence Wong once said, "Throughout my life, I never aspired to a position or power, but only looked at my own abilities and strengths. ”
Now, he is making good on his promise.
Internally, Huang Xuncai is gradually entering the hearts of the people; Externally, Lawrence Wong must take a firm "neutral" attitude.
Singapore's diplomatic philosophy has always adhered to the strategy of "not taking sides", focusing on Singapore's interests, never "causing trouble", and strictly abiding by the principle of neutrality. In Singapore's political system, executive decision-making tends to be facilitated by group communication. As long as we follow the established line and do not change our diplomatic strategy and do not join in the excitement, cause trouble, or take sides in the international community, there will not be much setback in Singapore's diplomacy in the future.
As Singapore's new and old governments alternate, the most anticipated thing is how China-Singapore relations will develop after the fourth generation of leadership team takes office.
On August 11, 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with then Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in Singapore, and the two sides held a dialogue on maintaining stability and continuity between China and Singapore. "Singapore will actively participate in China's modernization process and look forward to co-chairing the meeting of the Singapore-China bilateral cooperation mechanism in China," Mr Wong said. ”
(On 11 August 2023, Wang Yi met with Lawrence Wong)
In the diplomacy of major powers, China-US relations are the hottest topic in the world. How to balance Sino-US relations is a technical task.
During his second visit to the United States from October 5 to 15 last year, Lawrence Wong was interviewed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). During the interview, Lawrence Wong stressed that Singapore is neither willing to take sides in the great power competition nor endorse the US position of containing China's development.
"Looking at the U.S.-China relationship from Singapore's perspective, our view is that it's not a matter of finding a balance between China and the United States," Wong said. At the end of the day, we make decisions based on our own interests. ”
In fact, as early as after Lawrence Wong became Singapore's deputy prime minister, he expressed his stance on Sino-US relations, saying, "China's upward trend is unstoppable, and trying to contain China's rise is not only very difficult but also ineffective." ”
"Trying to contain China's rise will only make China more determined to become self-reliant and develop itself." Huang Xuncai said.
As great power competition has entered a new era, how should we view regional economic development and China's economic development in this environment? Huang Xuncai's answer to this is, "The tremendous motivation and energy of the Chinese should never be underestimated." ”
Source丨Lion City News, Lianhe Zaobao
Author丨Zhuo Yizi, Shenzhen Satellite TV direct news editor