Today (15 May), Lee Hsien Loong will officially step down as Singapore's prime minister and hand over power to Lawrence Wong.
Speaking of Lee Hsien Loong, Chinese must be familiar with it. After nearly 20 years of steady economic growth, he has led the ruling team to make Singapore one of the most influential Asian financial centers in the world.
In recent years, Singapore has adhered to a balanced foreign policy of great powers, and the "small country" with a population of less than 6 million has played an increasingly important role in the international arena. The historic meeting between leaders across the Taiwan Strait in 2015, the historic handshake between Trump and Kim Jong-un in 2018, and the annual Shangri-La Dialogue have put Singapore in the spotlight.
Singapore's "small" and "big" are impressive, like a boat in a huge wave, and the helmsman is Lee Hsien Loong, who has a great personal charm.
The "Chinese singer" who was delayed by his speech
In 2021, when Lee Hsien Loong delivered a speech in Chinese at the National Day mass rally, in order to encourage Singaporeans to get out of the epidemic, he sang two Chinese songs "In the Spring". "'Potpourri in the spring, Lang Li Lang' is catchy and well-known, but the most interesting thing is the last few lyrics, 'No sadness, no sadness, the future has its own wind and waves...... Forward, don't hesitate, there is light at the end of the darkness'. ”
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Lee Hsien Loong's singing skills may not be very professional, but he used this episode from the 1937 Chinese tragicomedy "Cross Street" to express the people's yearning for a better life and their perseverance in the face of hardships in times of suffering.
This is not Lee Hsien Loong's first "performance". At the 2013 National Day rally, Lee Hsien Loong subtly expressed his struggles as a government leader and the executive team with six songs: "The Past Can Only Be Recalled", "I Am a Little Bird", "The Moon's Trouble", "Do You Know I'm Waiting for You", "I'm Around You" and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow". This light-hearted and humorous expression not only dissolves the serious atmosphere of the conference, but also expresses the difficulties of the government.
At the 2014 National Day rally, Lee Hsien Loong also sang a new ballad "A Trickle of Water" written by Singaporean musician Leong Boon Hock. borrowed the lyrics "When you are young, who has no dreams", to encourage Chinese people of all ages to dream and work hard to realize their dreams.
An orator who is "delayed" by his work
Another of Lee Hsien Loong's most admired skills as a statesman is his ability to speak eloquently.
On May 1, 2024, Lee Hsien Loong delivered his last important speech as prime minister, telling the bitter history of 40 years of politics and 20 years of governance, bowing three times to the audience and applauding four times.
In his inaugural address 20 years ago, Lee Hsien Loong delivered his inaugural address in English, Mandarin and Malay, calling on all the people to join him in writing a new chapter in Singapore's story and building Singapore into a country that everyone loves, belongs to and is proud of. At that time, grassroots government officials and ordinary people were infected by Lee Hsien Loong's ambition and held a celebration for him until midnight.
From his inaugural start in 2004 to his departure in 2024, Lee Hsien Loong has been in charge of Singapore for 20 years. Source: Singapore's "Lianhe Zaobao"
On the eve of leaving office, Lee Hsien Loong mentioned in an interview with Singapore's Chinese and English media whether there were any regrets in his many years of political career, and Lee Hsien Loong said very frankly that he has no regrets, what should be done, we have done it, and it is not my responsibility for the results to be evaluated.
"Internet celebrities" who are "delayed" by work
Lee Hsien Loong's personal charm is also evident on the Internet. Lee Hsien Loong's first post on his personal social media Facebook on 20 April 2012 has been known as "Singapore's No. 1 Internet Celebrity" for 12 years, with 1.7 million followers.
Source: Sin Chew Source: Sin Chew
In his second year on Facebook, Lee Hsien Loong invited 15 Facebook and Twitter followers to have afternoon tea with him, where they discussed a wide range of topics, including housing, car ownership, technology and social media. In order to better communicate and interact with the public, Lee Hsien Loong also opened an Instagram account.
In addition to information related to the country and policies, Lee Hsien Loong's most popular with netizens is the details of his life shared on social media, especially the posts and photos he wears everywhere and labels "#jalanjalan".
Lee Hsien Loong's seemingly casual Facebook photos are actually well-composed, intriguing, and sometimes offer a different perspective. In this regard, Lee Hsien Loong said that he is very interested in photography, and also said that he likes to browse photography websites in his spare time and learn to take meaningful photos.
Regarding the title of Internet celebrity, Lee Hsien Loong said: "I am just a "little celebrity", compared with Internet celebrities, I am really a small thing. Lee Hsien Loong said that he will continue to keep his social media account after leaving office, and he will continue to post.
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In addition to his love of taking pictures, Lee Hsien Loong has put a lot of thought into his popularity on the Internet, and the team has made WhatsApp and Telegram stickers for him, including hand-to-hand gestures, hand waves, thumbs up, and national flag waves, for netizens to download and use.
A learning genius who has been "delayed" by politics
Singapore's development miracle is not only based on policy and timing, but also on human factors, and language is the best carrier. At the beginning of the country, Lee Kuan Yew decided to use Malay as Singapore's Chinese language, but later found it easier to communicate in English in the workplace, and the majority of Singapore's population is Chinese. In order to play Singapore's role in international trade and to make the various ethnic groups more equal in language, Lee Kuan Yew implemented a textbook reform in the 1980s, stipulating that primary and secondary school textbooks should be taught mainly in English, with Chinese as a second language. It all revolves around Lee Kuan Yew's "two pillars" of Singapore's founding, an open society and a unified language that is in line with international standards.
At home, Lee Kuan Yew attaches great importance to the multilingual education of his children. When Lee Hsien Loong was very young, Lee Kuan Yew sent Lee Hsien Loong to a Chinese-language education kindergarten and also studied the Malay language outside of class. When he was at home, his mother Ko Yuk Chi and Lee Hsien Loong Jr. spoke English, and his father Lee Kuan Yew spoke Chinese with him. In addition, Lee Hsien Loong read the Malay Herald newspaper in order to learn Malay, which is mainly known for its political content, which made Lee Hsien Loong pay attention to the current political changes at an early age, which laid the foundation for Lee Hsien Loong to master the three languages in the political arena in the future.
In a recent interview with Singaporean media, Lee Hsien Loong said that he communicates with his grandchildren in Mandarin at home, but his wife communicates with them in English, hoping that the children can be bilingual when they grow up. From those in power to ordinary people, Singapore's linguistic advantages have not only made the city-state an important platform for Chinese people to connect with Asia and the world.
Like his parents, Lee Hsien Loong is also a proper student. In 1971, at the age of 19, Lee Hsien Loong joined the Singapore Armed Forces and excelled in the military, receiving a national scholarship to study mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge University, England. Trinity College is the most well-known college in Cambridge, which has produced more than 30 Nobel laureates, including Newton, Bacon, Byron, Russell and others are also graduates of this prestigious school, six British prime ministers have also graduated from Trinity College, and many members of the British royal family such as George VI and Charles III are also alumni of Lee Hsien Loong.
Lee Hsien Loong's talent in mathematics was so impressive that he was awarded the title of Senior Wrangler in 1973, First Class Honours in Mathematics and a Diploma in Computer Science (Distinction) from the University of Cambridge in 1974. In the Cambridge Mathematics Honours Degree exam, Lee Hsien Loong solved 31 mathematics problems, a full 12 more than the second place.
If Lee Hsien Loong had chosen mathematics as his lifelong career, the world would have had one more brilliant mathematician and one less brilliant politician. Faced with the retention of his mentor, Lee Hsien Loong wrote that he must return to Singapore because "it is absolutely necessary to stay in Singapore, not only because it is my special status, but if there is a brain drain, it will be a serious blow to the morale of Singapore." The more important reason is that I belong to Singapore, and there is really no limit to what mathematicians can do about what the world has become or what the country is heading. ”
Although Lee Hsien Loong did not become a mathematician, his talent for mathematics helped him lead the government team through several economic crises. In 1985, when Singapore was in the midst of an economic recession, Lee Hsien Loong consulted with nearly 1,000 experts and academics in various industries to draft a report on how to deal with the Great Depression for the then National Economic Council. Singapore's economy began to pick up in the third quarter of 1986 after the government adopted a series of bail-out measures proposed by the Commission, and then rebounded strongly in 1987, when the then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew praised the economic and trade team for helping Singapore out of the recession at the 1988 National Day rally.
The Asian financial crisis of 1998 still haunts people today. The bankruptcy of the investment bank Lehman Brothers, the financial crisis of AIG, and the outbreak of the global financial tsunami. Lee Hsien Loong, who is the head of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made the decision to use 150 billion (Canadian dollars) of national reserves to guarantee deposits in Singapore's banking system. Since then, investor confidence in Singapore has doubled, which has helped Singapore become an important financial centre in the future.
Singapore's current Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat remembers Lee Hsien Loong's boldness in his work, and Heng Swee Keat once said of Lee Hsien Loong: "Having a prime minister of such intelligence and acumen as him is one of Singapore's great strengths, especially in times of crisis." ”
Losing his wife and suffering from cancer, life is full of hardships
Lee Hsien Loong has been married twice in his life. In 1978, Lee Hsien Loong, who had returned from school, married a Malaysian-Chinese woman, Wong Ming Yang, and their story also had similarities with their father's. Lee Hsien Loong's parents had a lifelong relationship at Cambridge University, and a few years later, Lee Hsien Loong and Wong Mingyang met at Cambridge University, and the mathematical genius of Trinity College fell in love with the medical female student of Gerton College at first sight.
Lee Hsien Loong with his first wife, Wong Ming Yeung Lee Hsien Loong with his first wife, Wong Ming Yang
Life didn't go as planned. Four years later, after giving birth to his second child, Wong died of a heart attack, leaving Lee Hsien Loong's eldest daughter, who was only 19 months old, and his younger son, who was born less than a month ago.
Lee Hsien Loong, who had a smooth ride before the age of 30, felt the sorrow of eternal separation, and he was reluctant to give up the sudden loss of his beloved wife, who he once described in an exclusive interview with The Straits Times on Sunday as the darkest moment of his life. To this day, there is still a photo of Huang Mingyang on the desk in his office.
In 1984, Lee Hsien Loong entered Singaporean politics when he was elected to Parliament with a high number of votes in the Singapore general election. Lee Hsien Loong was hesitant at first because he feared that going into politics would take up a lot of his spare time and not be able to take care of his young children. After consulting with his parents, Lee Hsien Loong put aside his worries and left the army to join politics.
In his second year in politics, Lee Hsien Loong met his second wife, Ho Ching, and the two were happily married, giving birth to two sons after marriage, and Ho Ching also regarded Lee Hsien Loong's other two children as her own.
Lee Hsien Loong with his second wife, Ho Ching
But Lee Hsien Loong's life is not over. In 1992, Lee Hsien Loong was diagnosed with lymphoma, and after 3 months of intensive chemotherapy, Lee Hsien Loong's cancer cells were completely removed. In January 2015, Lee Hsien Loong suffered from prostate cancer, but fortunately, he recovered successfully after surgical removal. Lee Hsien Loong, who has become a household name in Singapore as a cancer fighter after two cancer experiences, has this to say about the experience of battling the disease: "You have to accept that some things happen that cannot be predicted or controlled, and after accepting them, you can continue to live your life." ”
In March of the same year, Lee Hsien Loong's second cancer occurred, and his father, Lee Kuan Yew, passed away.
Lee Hsien Loong, who had just recovered from a serious illness, at the state funeral of his father Lee Kuan Yew. Source: "The Straits Times"
Succession to the father It is not enough to have political achievements
Although he is the eldest son of Singapore's "Father of the Nation" Lee Kuan Yew, and has many years of experience in the military, government, economy and trade fields, Lee Hsien Loong's road to becoming prime minister has not been easy.
In November 1990, Singapore's first Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, stepped down and was succeeded by Goh Chok Tong, who was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. At this time, some voices in Singapore society criticized Lee Kuan Yew's cronyism, saying that Lee Hsien Loong was taken too seriously because he was the son of the prime minister.
In fact, a year before that, Lee Kuan Yew had said at the People's Action Party (PAP) congress that it would not be good for Singapore or for him to let Lee Hsien Loong succeed him. Lee Kuan Yew did not want his eldest son to be seen as his successor, and if Lee Hsien Loong really became prime minister one day, the eldest son would rely on his own strength.
With Goh Chok Tong winning the 1997 general election and being re-elected as prime minister, the narrative that Lee Kuan Yew paved the way for Lee Hsien Loong gradually subsided. During his years as deputy prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong gained a wealth of experience in governing the country, gradually establishing himself as a political leader, and his ability to deal with the many thorny issues facing the country has been recognized by the heads of various departments and members of parliament in the country.
Lee Kuan Yew once said of his eldest son: "If I hadn't become prime minister, he [Lee Hsien Loong] would have been in that position a few years earlier." I would not allow unqualified family members to hold important positions, as that would be a disaster for Singapore or for my own history. ”
Lee Hsien Loong became Singapore's third post-independence prime minister in August 2004, 20 years after his 20th year in politics, at the age of 52.
The contradiction of the "first family of overseas Chinese" has become public
Who is the "first family of overseas Chinese", in terms of influence, Singapore's Lee family is second to none. Why? Temasek Holdings is nominally part of the Singapore government's Ministry of Finance, but it was Lee Hsien Loong's wife, Ho Ching, who has been at the head of Temasek for 19 years. Under Ho Ching's leadership, Temasek entered a golden age, controlling a series of economic lifelines such as Singapore Telecom, Airlines, Banking, Metro, Electricity, and Hotels, and even holding 47% of the market value of the entire Singapore stock market. Temasek has also ventured into China, taking stakes in state-owned banks ICBC and China Construction Bank.
This is economic influence, and politically, thanks to the wisdom of the two generations of the Li family, Singapore has successfully become a mediator force that can "speak" between the two major powers of China and the United States, and the aforementioned annual "incense meeting" has become an important platform for dialogue and exchange between China and the United States and other countries.
The "first family of overseas Chinese" entered Lee Hsien Loong's generation, especially after the death of his father Lee Kuan Yew, and the contradictions gradually became public. It is true that Lee Kuan Yew's People's Action Party (PAP) is the largest party in Singapore, but Lee Kuan Yew's youngest son, Lee Hsien Yang, joined the opposition Move Forward Party after his death, in Singapore's 2020 general election year.
Lee Hsien Yang's eldest son, Lee Sin Mo, who works in economics at Harvard University, also has a lot of criticism about his uncle Lee Hsien Loong, criticizing Singapore's law for many problems. In 2017, Mr. Lee retweeted a New York Times opinion piece on Facebook with the caption that "of course, keep in mind that the Singapore government has an obedient court system." On 29 July 2020, a Singapore court convicted Lee of contempt of court, fined S$15,000 or imprisoned for one week, and paid S$16,570 in court costs. Mr. Lee's attitude was to pay the fine, but pleaded not guilty.
The first on the left, Lee Hsien Yang, the third on the left, Lee Wei Ling, and the first on the right, Lee Hsien Loong. Source: Hong Kong Economic Journal
The two brothers "hurt each other", and they also pulled the second sister into the melee. Beginning in June 2017, Lee Hsien Yeung and his second sister Lee Wai Ling accused him of selfishness in handling the issue of Lee Kuan Yew's former residence and abusing the power of the prime minister in order to earn political capital.
In July of the same year, Lee Hsien Loong issued a ministerial statement and a public apology to the public through Parliament: "As your Prime Minister, I am very sorry that this happened, and I apologize to the Singaporeans for this. As a Son of Man, I am saddened by the pain this conflict may have caused to my parents. ”
Suffering from cancer twice, Lee Hsien Loong was still able to face them bravely, but in the face of the death of his relatives and the separation of his sister and younger brother, Lee Hsien Loong's sentence "I will continue to do my best to be worthy of my parents, and at the same time, I will continue to do my best to serve Singapore loyally" made the outside world feel that the "first family in Singapore" also has the trouble of "being born from the same root, why not be too anxious to fry each other".
From left: Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Wei Ling and Lee Hsien Yang
"Little Red Dot" and Grand Strategy
In 2015, Singapore celebrated its 50th National Day with a red circle with the word "SG50" written on it. At first, other countries used the term "little red dot" to disparage Singapore, but the term was soon adopted by Singapore's politicians and nationals to express their pride and pride in Singapore's prosperity despite its limited size.
Generations of Singapore's leaders have also brought into play the international influence of the "little red dot" with its limited land area. If Lee Kuan Yew led Singapore to an independent state, the second Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong brought Singapore to the world, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong led Singapore to exert global influence.
At a time when the relationship between China and the United States is in turmoil, Lee Hsien Loong's view can be described as quite pragmatic: "In the current world, in this era, what is most lacking between countries is mutual trust. When there is friction between the United States and China, or even in the region, it is often because countries are suspicious of each other and distrust each other. In such an environment, if Singapore is a trusted partner, then we can stand out. ”
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From high-spirited to gray-haired, 32-year-old politician and 72-year-old "handing over the baton", Lee Hsien Loong has dedicated his life to the development of Singapore society and served as Singapore's prime minister for 20 years. Singapore is now a thriving economy, significantly more competitive, and has weathered major challenges such as the global financial crisis and the pandemic. Lee Hsien Loong has improved the political system and pushed society towards a more open, inclusive and equitable society, laying the foundation for the country's continued success with the concept of "good politics". Today, Singapore is at the top of the charts in a variety of indicators, which is the best illustration of Lee Hsien Loong's 20 years in power.
As Lee Hsien Loong said with tears at the PAP congress last November, "It is a great blessing and honour for me to serve my country throughout my adult years. In the face of the enduring applause and cheers from the audience, Lee Hsien Loong's 20 years in power is also the 20th year of Singapore's global expansion.
Lee Hsien Loong said that he can afford to let go, and he has been in power for 20 years, and in the eyes of many people, he has also achieved "can take it". Lee Hsien Loong said he is likely to attend photography training after leaving office, and expects more great photos from him on social media. Lee Hsien Loong, who loves to sing Chinese songs, and Wong Xunchoi, who loves to play guitar, Singapore for the next 20 years is also worthy of the world's attention.
Author丨Yang Ying, the chief writer of Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News