152-600: Nanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao , commonly abbreviated as Lianhe Zaobao , is the largest Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 136,900 (print and digital) as of 2021. Published by SPH Media (formerly Singapore Press Holdings ), it was formed on 16 March 1983 as a result of a merger between the Singaporean editions of Nanyang Siang Pau and Sin Chew Jit Poh , two of Singapore's oldest Chinese newspapers. The paper establishes itself as
304-479: A Vietnamese source from the same time period. The name possibly means Sea Town , being derived from the Malay tasek , meaning 'sea' or 'lake'. The Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan visited a place around 1330 named Danmaxi ( Chinese : 淡馬錫 ; pinyin : Dànmǎxí ; Wade–Giles : Tan Ma Hsi ) or Tam ma siak , depending on pronunciation; this may be a transcription of Temasek , alternatively, it may be
456-512: A broadsheet with local news coverage, while international news tend to be largely centred on the East Asia region, with a section dedicated to China . Zaobao has an East Asian correspondent network spanning Beijing , Chongqing , Shanghai , Guangzhou , Hong Kong , Taipei , Seoul and Tokyo . It is SPH's flagship Chinese daily and the only Chinese-language daily in Singapore. Lianhe Zaobao
608-438: A home-ownership rate of 88 percent. Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies , fastest Internet connection speeds , lowest infant mortality rates , and lowest levels of corruption in the world. It has the third highest population density of any country in the world , although there are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result of urban planning . With a multicultural population and in recognition of
760-524: A snap election ). The 14th and current Parliament has 103 members; 93 were directly elected from the 31 constituencies , nine are nonpartisan nominated members appointed by the president, and three are non-constituency members from opposition parties who were not elected in the last general election but appointed to the legislature to increase opposition party representation. In group representation constituencies (GRCs), political parties assemble teams of candidates to contest elections. At least one MP in
912-812: A supermajority in Parliament . One of the five founding members of ASEAN , Singapore is also the headquarters of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council Secretariat, and is the host city of many international conferences and events . Singapore is also a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the East Asia Summit ,
1064-709: A "Third China". During this period, Lee believed in the need to resist communism as part of the domino theory . Between the failure of the British to defend Singapore in the Second World War and the belief that the United States was too war-weary to defend Singapore from communism, Lee welcomed American presence in the region to act as a counterweight to the Soviet Union and China. In the 1970s, People's Republic of China and Singapore began unofficial relations. This led to
1216-605: A Chinese society that should consequently be sympathetic to China's interests. Addressing and coordinating mutual interests and expectations has always been central to the China–Singapore relations from their first government-to-government contacts. In fact, in one these early meetings, Chinese officials spoke of their affinity toward visiting Singaporean officials, referring to the latter as "kinsmen", to which Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew remarked, while acknowledging "a very special relationship", "We are different like
1368-476: A GRC must be of an ethnic minority background. All elections are held using first-past-the-post voting . MPs host weekly political surgeries , called " Meet-the-People Sessions ", where they help constituents resolve personal issues which can be related to housing, financial assistance, and immigration. The People's Action Party occupies a dominant position in Singaporean politics, having won large parliamentary majorities in every election since self-governance
1520-551: A Muslim state, the soldiers rebelled, killing their officers and several British civilians before the mutiny was suppressed by non-Muslim troops arriving from Johore and Burma . After World War I , the British built the large Singapore Naval Base as part of the defensive Singapore strategy . Originally announced in 1921, the construction of the base proceeded at a slow pace until the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Costing $ 60 million and not fully completed in 1938, it
1672-429: A candidate needs to be a person at least 45 years of age who is no longer a member of a political party, to either have held public office for at least 3 years in a number of specific public service leadership roles, or to have 3 years experience as chief executive of a fully profitable private sector company with at least S$ 500 million in shareholders' equity , be a resident in Singapore for at least 10 years, not have
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#17330851730921824-567: A combination of the Malay Tanah meaning 'land' and Chinese xi meaning 'tin', which was traded on the island. Variations of the name Siṃhapura were used for a number of cities throughout the region prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of Singapura . In Hindu–Buddhist culture , lions were associated with power and protection, which may explain the attraction of such a name. The name Singapura supplanted Temasek sometime before
1976-597: A communist takeover. On 27 May 1961, Malaya's prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman , made a surprise proposal for a new Federation called Malaysia , which would unite the current and former British possessions in the region: the Federation of Malaya , Singapore, Brunei , North Borneo , and Sarawak . UMNO leaders believed that the additional Malay population in the Bornean territories would balance Singapore's Chinese population. The British government, for its part, believed that
2128-575: A criminal record, and more. Candidates must also "satisfy" the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) that he or she is a person of integrity, good character and reputation. From 2017, the Constitution requires that presidential elections be " reserved " for a racial community if no one from that ethnic group has been elected to the presidency in the five most recent terms. Only members of that community may qualify as candidates in
2280-455: A cut from customers. In response, amendments were made to the Women's Charter by the government in 2019 to legislate more serious punishments for traffickers, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of S$ 100,000. Singapore has a highly developed market economy , based historically on extended entrepôt trade. Along with Hong Kong , South Korea , and Taiwan , Singapore is one of
2432-513: A handful of Chinese . By 1860 the population had swelled to over 80,000, more than half being Chinese . Many of these early immigrants came to work on the pepper and gambier plantations. In 1867, the Straits Settlements were separated from British India , coming under the direct control of Britain . Later, in the 1890s, when the rubber industry became established in Malaya and Singapore,
2584-458: A local medical degree can opt to defer their draft. Though not required to perform military service, the number of women in the SAF has been increasing: since 1989 they have been allowed to fill military vocations formerly reserved for men. Before induction into a specific branch of the armed forces, recruits undergo at least nine weeks of basic military training. Because of the scarcity of open land on
2736-630: A mezzanine floor of MacDonald House exploded, killing three people and injuring 33 others. It was the deadliest of at least 42 bomb incidents which occurred during the confrontation. Two members of the Indonesian Marine Corps , Osman bin Haji Mohamed Ali and Harun bin Said , were eventually convicted and executed for the crime. The explosion caused US$ 250,000 (equivalent to US$ 2,417,107 in 2023) in damages to MacDonald House. Even after
2888-691: A newly independent country. After being expelled from Malaysia, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore on 9 August 1965, with Lee Kuan Yew and Yusof bin Ishak as the first prime minister and president respectively. In 1967, the country co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Race riots broke out once more in 1969. Lee Kuan Yew's emphasis on rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, and limitations on internal democracy shaped Singapore's policies for
3040-570: A one-party state that tolerates no dissent, but also as efficient and corruption-free, and responsible for teaching China a lot during its reform process , with Lee Kuan Yew also viewed as an amazing leader. According to a November 2020 survey conducted by scholars from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and the University of British Columbia , 69% of Chinese respondents held a favourable view of Singapore. A March 2022 survey funded by
3192-557: A platform for learning the Chinese language and its culture, and enhancing communication with other Chinese communities. In November 2015, China opened the China Cultural Centre in Singapore , to facilitate exchanges in arts and culture. Current difficulties notwithstanding, Singapore's economically successful dominant party system has led its political system to be studied and cited as a potential model for China's government. Such
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#17330851730923344-588: A reserved presidential election. In the 2017 presidential election , this combination of stringent requirements and a reserved election that required the candidate to be of the 13% Malay ethnic group led to the PEC approving a single candidate for the presidency; Halimah Yacob , considered part of the Malay community, won in an uncontested election. She also became Singapore's first female president. Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected at least every five years (or sooner with
3496-421: A strange beast on the island that he took to be a lion. Seeing this as an omen, he established the town of Singapura where he encountered the beast. The second hypothesis, drawn from Portuguese sources , postulates that this mythical story is based on the real life Parameswara of Palembang . Parameswara declared independence from Majapahit and mounted a Lion Throne. After then being driven into exile by
3648-436: A symbol of Singapore's soft power through its reporting on China to the world. Zaobao.com was the first Chinese-language newspaper website to be available in 1995. In 2009, access to Lianhe Zaobao was reportedly blocked by China's Great Firewall for a period, presumably due to Lianhe Zaobao' s reporting on China's internet censorship. Chinese people have immigrated to what is known as Singapore since Zheng He's voyages in
3800-581: A viewpoint has been institutionalised: Nanyang Technological University offers master's degree programs that are well-attended by Chinese public officials. Outside of programs for public officials, Singapore is a popular destination for Chinese students due to its education standards, its proximity to home, its perceived cultural similarities, and the cost of an education as opposed to the US or UK. Paradoxically, while some Chinese students like Singapore for its cultural similarity, its meritocratic culture in contrast with
3952-711: Is China's 9th largest trading partner, while China is Singapore's 3rd largest trading partner which consisted of 10.1 percent of Singapore's total external trade from the previous year. China's exports to Singapore were textiles, clothing, agriculture produce, petrochemical, metals, electromechanical equipment, feed, coking coal, shipping, machinery supplier, communication equipment and electronic components. Companies such as Capitaland and Breadtalk have made substantial inroads into China's domestic economy. Others such as Temasek Holdings , Singapore Airlines have each invested in China Eastern Airlines . Singapore
4104-479: Is a significant destination for Chinese outbound foreign direct investment . One of the most visible symbols of China's efforts to export its soft power is the Confucius Institute . Confucius Institute in Singapore was established in 2005 as a collaboration with Nanyang Technological University , successor to the former Chinese-language Nanyang University . Its stated mission is to provide Singapore with
4256-689: Is also a founding member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) , a voluntary and informal grouping at the UN. Singapore maintains membership in other regional organisations, such as Asia–Europe Meeting , the Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation , the Indian Ocean Rim Association , and the East Asia Summit . It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the United Nations and
4408-414: Is an actual physical confrontation over Taiwan ... So, I would advise us to stay very far away from that." The bilateral trade between China and Singapore developed rapidly in recent years and Singapore has maintained the first position among ASEAN countries in their trade with China. China's transformation into a major economic power in the 21st century has led to an increase of foreign investments in
4560-434: Is due to a lack of usable space in built-up Singapore. The People's Republic of China has officially offered Singapore to shift its training facilities from Taiwan to Hainan Island . In 2004, shortly before Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took office from the then incumbent Goh Chok Tong , he made a visit to Taiwan to familiarise himself with the latest developments there. The People's Republic of China took offence to
4712-670: Is maintaining security in Southeast Asia and surrounding territories. An underlying principle is political and economic stability in the region. It has diplomatic relations with more than 180 sovereign states. As one of the five founding members of ASEAN , Singapore is a strong supporter of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA); it is also the host of the APEC Secretariat. Singapore
Lianhe Zaobao - Misplaced Pages Continue
4864-660: Is occasionally blocked in mainland China, or has its posts removed on Sina Weibo. In 2009, the Zaobao website was temporarily blocked in China, analysts in China believed it was likely related to an article Lianhe Zaobao ran headlined "Cyber Crackdown in China Angers Netizens" which sparked the temporary ban, as discourse against the Chinese government is censored . The paper was again reportedly blocked in 2017 with no official reasons cited. Singapore Singapore , officially
5016-414: Is published daily by SPH and usually hits newsstands and homes by 5 am local time. Zaobao is currently published in three segments. The first comprises breaking news ( 焦点新闻 ) and local news under ZaobaoSINGAPORE ( 早报新加坡 ). The second comprises ZaobaoChina ( 早报中国 ), the sports section ( 早报体育 ), obituaries , the daily editorial, commentaries, letters to the press, other international news from
5168-695: Is regarded as a key factor behind Singapore's political stability, economic growth, and harmonious social order. In 2021, the World Justice Project 's Rule of Law Index ranked Singapore as 17th overall among the world's 193 countries for adherence to the rule of law . Singapore ranked high on the factors of order and security (#3), absence of corruption (#3), regulatory enforcement (#4), civil justice (#8), and criminal justice (#7), and ranked significantly lower on factors of open government (#34), constraints on government powers (#32), and fundamental rights (#38). Singapore's stated foreign policy priority
5320-525: Is targeted at audiences in Greater China , while Zaobao.sg (re-launched in September 2016) targets local and non-China readers. In 2019, Lianhe Zaobao launched an English-language e-magazine called ThinkChina. ZBSchools.sg is an online portal hosting several publications targeted at students such as zbCOMMA ( 早报逗号 ), Thumbs Up ( 大拇指 ), Thumbs Up Junior ( 小拇指 ) and Thumbs Up Little Junior ( 小小拇指 ). zbCOMMA
5472-457: Is targeted at secondary school students, Thumbs Up at upper primary students, Thumbs Up Junior at lower primary students and Thumbs Up Little Junior at kindergarten students. zbCOMMA used to be known as Friday Weekly ( 星期5周报 ) before its revamp on 7 January 2009. It consists of follow-ups on news on Lianhe Zaobao, articles written by Zaobao reporters and blurbs for Zaobao news that serve to connect students with Zaobao. The Zaobao online website
5624-550: Is the only Chinese-language overseas newspaper which can be purchased in major cities of mainland China. As with all Chinese-language publications currently based in Singapore, the paper is printed in Simplified Chinese . In 1974, after the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act was passed in Singapore, the Singapore branch of Sin Chew Jit Poh was reorganised into a public entity under the name Sin Chew Jit Poh (Singapore), while
5776-487: Is the only country in Asia with a AAA sovereign credit rating from all major rating agencies . It is a major aviation , financial , and maritime shipping hub and has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive cities to live in for expatriates and foreign workers . Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators: education , healthcare , quality of life , personal safety , infrastructure , and housing , with
5928-464: Is the right policy and that there is "clear evidence" of serious deterrence , and that the law should be looked at upon in the wider context of "saving lives", particularly citizens. In 2004, Amnesty International claimed that some legal provisions of the Singapore system for the death penalty conflict with "the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty". The government has disputed Amnesty's claims, stating that their "position on abolition of
6080-889: The Philippines v. China ruling in favour of the Philippines during the Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Venezuela, based on unnamed sources. The Global Times' account was disputed by Singapore's ambassador to China, Stanley Loh. The same year, Yin Jinnan of the PLA National Defence University commented that "Beijing should make Singapore pay the price for seriously damaging China's interests" with sanctions. In November 2016, nine Singapore Army Terrex ICV armoured personnel carriers and associated equipment were seized by
6232-531: The 1964 race riots . On 7 August 1965, Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, seeing no alternative to avoid further bloodshed (and with the help of secret negotiations by PAP leaders, as revealed in 2015) advised the Parliament of Malaysia that it should vote to expel Singapore from Malaysia. On 9 August 1965, the Malaysian Parliament voted 126 to 0 to move a bill to amend the constitution, expelling Singapore from Malaysia, which left Singapore as
Lianhe Zaobao - Misplaced Pages Continue
6384-521: The 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre has been censored from the Zaobao website when accessed from Hong Kong. A 2019 study by Scotland-based researcher Daniel Hammond found that Zaobao played the role of "China’s critical friend in Southeast Asia", using the region as a means to deliver its concerns and criticisms of the country's actions such as on the South China Sea , while covering
6536-597: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami . Since 2009, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has deployed ships to the Gulf of Aden to aid in countering piracy efforts as part of Task Force 151 . The SAF also helped in relief efforts during Hurricane Katrina , and Typhoon Haiyan . Singapore is part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), a military alliance with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and
6688-487: The ASEAN , followed by a finance section ZaobaoBUSINESS ( 早报财经 ). A supplementary lifestyle, arts and entertainment segment is named Fukan ( 副刊 ) with classified advertising at the back of that segment. The Sunday edition is titled zbSunday ( 早报星期天 ), with a tabloid -format lifestyle supplement pull-out zbWeekly ( 早报周刊 ). The newspaper is available in Southeast Asia, China, Hong Kong as well as organisations such as
6840-618: The British Empire . In 1867, Singapore came under the direct control of Britain as part of the Straits Settlements . During World War II , Singapore was occupied by Japan in 1942 and returned to British control as a separate Crown colony following Japan's surrender in 1945. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 and, in 1963, became part of the new federation of Malaysia , alongside Malaya , North Borneo , and Sarawak . Ideological differences led to Singapore's expulsion from
6992-590: The COVID-19 pandemic . In June 2022, both countries' defence ministers signed two agreements to cooperate in military education and academic exchanges with officials from Singapore Armed Forces and the People's Liberation Army being able to attend courses conducted by each other. Singaporean journalist Maria Siow wrote in July 2020 that in line with China's media narratives, the mainland Chinese she met tended to see Singapore as
7144-462: The China-Singapore relationship in an overwhelmingly positive manner. In April 2021, Zaobao renamed its " Greater China " section, which covers Taiwan , to simply "China." In December 2021, Zaobao interviewed Peng Shuai following her disappearance . The interview, which critics labeled as scripted, generated criticisms of the newspaper. In July 2023, The Washington Post reported that
7296-713: The Commonwealth . While Singapore is not a formal member of the G20 , it has been invited to participate in G20 processes in most years since 2010. Singapore is also the location of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) Secretariat. In general, bilateral relations with other ASEAN members are strong; however, disagreements have arisen, and relations with neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have sometimes been strained. Malaysia and Singapore have clashed over
7448-490: The Digital and Intelligence Service . It is seen as the guarantor of the country's independence, translating into Singapore culture, involving all citizens in the country's defence. The government spent 2.7% of the country's GDP on the military in 2024, the highest in the region. After its independence, Singapore had only two infantry regiments commanded by British officers. Considered too small to provide effective security for
7600-806: The European Regional Development Fund and run by the Central European Institute of Asian Studies also had most mainland Chinese respondents viewing Singapore positively and viewing Singaporeans as friendly to Chinese travellers. According to a 2022 survey conducted by Renmin University of China and the Global Times Research Center on Chinese views of ASEAN , Singapore was rated the most appealing ASEAN member by local respondents. A 2022 poll conducted by Pew Research Center had 67% of Singaporean respondents expressing
7752-524: The Four Asian Tigers , and has surpassed its peers in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. Between 1965 and 1995, growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, transforming the living standards of the population. China%E2%80%93Singapore relations China–Singapore relations ( Chinese : 中国–新加坡关系 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó–Xīnjiāpō Guānxì ), also known as Chinese–Singaporean relations or Sino–Singaporean relations , are
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#17330851730927904-597: The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department at the Kwai Tsing Container Terminal (formerly Kwai Chung Container Terminal). The vehicles and equipment were being shipped back to Singapore from Taiwan after a military exercise in Taiwan. The shipment was allegedly seized because American President Lines (APL), the private shipping company engaged by the Singapore military to handle the shipment, did not have
8056-488: The Javanese , he usurped control over Temasek . He may have rechristened the area as Singapura , recalling the throne he had been driven from. Under Japanese occupation , Singapore was renamed Syonan-to ( Japanese : 昭 南 , Hepburn : Shōnan ) , meaning 'light of the south'. Singapore is sometimes referred to by the nickname the "Garden City", in reference to its parks and tree-lined streets. Another informal name,
8208-459: The MATADOR anti-tank weapon. The SAF is being developed to respond to a wide range of issues in both conventional and unconventional warfare. The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is responsible for procuring resources for the military. The geographic restrictions of Singapore mean that the SAF must plan to fully repulse an attack, as they cannot fall back and re-group. The small size of
8360-769: The Malayan Emergency and the Second Malayan Emergency as communist guerrillas, and China was accused of exporting revolution to Southeast Asia during this time. China's support for the Malayan Communist Party ended when Malaysia and China established diplomatic relations in 1974. The ethnic Chinese people were major supporters of the Malayan Communist Party, and Chinese-language secondary schools and Nanyang University were viewed hotbeds of communism (see Operation Cold Store and Chinese middle schools riots ). Because of this association, Nanyang University
8512-525: The Non-Aligned Movement , and the Commonwealth of Nations . The English name of "Singapore" is an anglicisation of the native Malay name for the country, Singapura ( pronounced [siŋapura] ), which was in turn derived from the Sanskrit word for 'lion city' ( Sanskrit : सिंहपुर ; romanised: Siṃhapura ; Brahmi : 𑀲𑀺𑀁𑀳𑀧𑀼𑀭 ; literally "lion city"; siṃha means 'lion', pura means 'city' or 'fortress'). Pulau Ujong
8664-862: The One Belt One Road Initiative . Singapore has also vowed to fully support and promote China's position in ASEAN, while managing the differences between the Chinese state and the organisation. Historic links between the two nations' people began much earlier than the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1949. Most early Chinese migrants came as labourers to what was known as Nanyang to escape poverty and war. Many ethnic Chinese Singaporeans derived their ancestral roots in southern China from Fujian , Guangdong and Hainan . Many ethnic Chinese people in Malaya and Singapore had supported China in
8816-413: The Republic of Singapore , is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia . The country's territory comprises one main island , 63 satellite islands and islets , and one outlying islet . It is about one degree of latitude (137 kilometres or 85 miles) north of the equator , off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula , bordering the Strait of Malacca to the west, the Singapore Strait to
8968-420: The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) maintains a number of overseas bases in Australia , the United States , and France . The RSAF's 130 Squadron is based in RAAF Base Pearce , Western Australia , and its 126 Squadron is based in the Oakey Army Aviation Centre , Queensland . The RSAF has one squadron—the 150 Squadron—based in Cazaux Air Base in southern France. The RSAF's overseas detachments in
9120-414: The Second Sino-Japanese War (that became a part of the Second World War ). This support extended to aiding the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party against the Japanese. Much like the Viet Minh , the Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Army guerrilla force turned into the Malayan National Liberation Army , associated with the Malayan Communist Party . The Malayan National Liberation Army fought in
9272-446: The South China Sea dispute , Singapore's support for the United States' military presence and alliance system in Asia, and the seizing of Singapore Armed Forces' vehicles by Hong Kong authorities in November 2016. Despite the disputes, Singapore and Beijing have consistently affirmed their close relationship and bilateral ties, deepening their co-operation in numerous areas, including defense, economy, culture and education, as well as
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#17330851730929424-403: The Speakers' Corner . In the Corruption Perceptions Index , which ranks countries by "perceived levels of public sector corruption", Singapore has consistently ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, in spite of being illiberal. Singapore's unique combination of a strong, soft authoritarian government with an emphasis on meritocracy is known as the "Singapore model", and
9576-401: The Strait of Malacca has been a cause of concern for all three countries. Close economic ties exist with Brunei , and the two share a pegged currency value, through a Currency Interchangeability Agreement between the two countries which makes both Brunei dollar and Singapore dollar banknotes and coins legal tender in either country. The first diplomatic contact with China was made in
9728-427: The Suzhou Industrial Park and the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city , which were constructed with the help of Singapore. Despite strong ties with the People's Republic of China, Singapore still maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan , including the continuation of a controversial military training and facilities agreement from 1975, with official annual military exercises known as Exercise Starlight (星光計畫). This
9880-463: The United Nations . The online version of the paper Zaobao.com was launched in August 1995 under the name of " Lianhe Zaobao Online ". It serves as a news portal drawing news not just from the Lianhe Zaobao , but also from other Chinese newspapers in the region. A large proportion of Lianhe Zaobao 's daily readership is derived from China, with the official website cites a monthly online readership of 4 million originating from China. Zaobao.com
10032-424: The Westminster tradition of unicameral parliamentary government, and its legal system is based on common law . While the country is de jure a multi-party democracy with free elections , the government under the People's Action Party (PAP) wields widespread control and political dominance . The PAP has governed the country continuously since full internal self-government was achieved in 1959, and holds
10184-420: The bamboo network , a network of overseas Chinese businesses operating in the markets of Southeast Asia that share common family and cultural ties. In 1998, volume of trade was US$ 8.154 billion In 1999, the trade value has increased to US$ 8.56 billion. In 2000, the amount increased to US$ 10.821 billion. In 2009, the total trade volume was SGD 75.1 billion (US$ 58.4 billion). Singapore
10336-434: The bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Singapore . Singapore recognized the PRC in 1990. Diplomatic missions were established in the early 1990s based on trade and the warming of ties from other ASEAN countries towards mainland China. Singapore and China have maintained a long-standing and close relationship, partly because of the latter's growing influence and essentiality in
10488-401: The " Little Red Dot ", was adopted after an article in the Asian Wall Street Journal of 4 August 1998 said that Indonesian President B. J. Habibie referred to Singapore as a red dot on a map. In 1299, according to the Malay Annals , the Kingdom of Singapura was founded on the island by Sang Nila Utama . Although the historicity of the accounts as given in the Malay Annals is
10640-439: The "benevolent" yet "highly authoritarian" colonial system of governance inherited from Britain rather than forging a full democracy. A conservative ideology of " Asian values " evolved to replace British rule, based on "communal loyalty, distrust of government, and avoidance of individual or collective responsibility for wider public interests", with less regard for human rights in the nascent Western sense. The fact that "neither
10792-476: The 15th century ; those early immigrants integrated into the host societies, and their descendants are now known as Peranakans . Modern Chinese immigration is defined here as that occurring after Singapore's independence in 1965. Chinese immigrants to Singapore range from university students, skilled and unskilled labourers, professionals, and investors. The majority of Singaporeans are ethnic Chinese (74.3% in 2015), causing some people in China to view Singapore as
10944-422: The 15th century, after the establishment of the Kingdom of Singapura on the island by a fleeing Sumatran Raja (prince) from Palembang . However, the precise time and reason for the name change is unknown. The semi-historical Malay Annals state that Temasek was christened Singapura by Sang Nila Utama , a 13th-century Sumatran Raja from Palembang . The Annals state that Sang Nila Utama encountered
11096-587: The 1970s, with full diplomatic relations established in the 1990s. China has been Singapore's largest trading partner since 2013, after surpassing Malaysia. Singapore and the United States share a long-standing close relationship, in particular in defence, the economy, health, and education. Singapore has also increased co-operation with ASEAN members and China to strengthen regional security and fight terrorism, and participated in ASEAN's first joint maritime exercise with China in 2018. It has also given support to
11248-473: The Asia-Pacific region, specifying that "its common interest with China is far greater than any differences". Furthermore, Singapore has positioned itself as a strong supporter for China's engagement and development in the region. It has engaged co-operation with other ASEAN members and China to strengthen regional security and fight terrorism, while participating in the organisation's first maritime exercise with
11400-610: The East", and military discussions often referred to the base as simply " East of Suez ". However, the British Home Fleet was stationed in Europe, and the British could not afford to build a second fleet to protect their interests in Asia. The plan was for the Home Fleet to sail quickly to Singapore in the event of an emergency. As a consequence, after World War II broke out in 1939, the fleet
11552-513: The Japanese changed its image in the eyes of Singaporeans. British Military Administration ended on 1 April 1946, and Singapore became a separate Crown Colony . In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established and the election of six members of the Legislative Council was scheduled for the following year. During the 1950s, Chinese communists , with strong ties to
11704-580: The New Zealanders and the Australians are different from the British. Well, I think I am very intrigued by that word 'kinsmen' because it implies a special empathy, and I have no ideological empathy. Therefore, I hope the empathy will be in some other field like economic development or comparing notes on how we could help each other's economies." In 2012, some netizens from China took to describing Singapore as "Po County" (坡县). While some Chinese netizens saw
11856-567: The PAP drop to 61% of the vote, while the Workers' Party took 10 of the 93 seats, the highest number ever won by another party. On 15 May 2024, Lawrence Wong became Singapore's fourth Prime Minister; he is the first prime minister born after independence. Singapore is a parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system . The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of the country, establishing
12008-514: The People's Action Party has led to Singapore being described by academics as an illiberal democracy , or a soft-authoritarian state in which the PAP faces little to no feasible political competition to its rule of the country. The multi-party democratic process of Singapore has been described as "minimal" in comparison to the state's focus on economic development and social order. According to Gordon P. Means, professor emeritus of political science at McMaster University , Singapore reinvented
12160-539: The Republic of China (Taiwan). Singapore is especially sensitive to racial strife due to past riots (see list of riots in Singapore ), so Singapore's nation-building efforts have focused on building a multicultural Singaporean identity on top of Singaporeans' racial identities. The differing Singaporean and Chinese expectations lead to misunderstandings when China and Singapore's foreign policies are in conflict, as described above. These misunderstandings also occur when Chinese citizens migrate to Singapore and conflict with
12312-697: The Singapore Government to create the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from scratch, and Israeli instructors were brought in to train Singaporean soldiers. Military courses were conducted according to the IDF's format, and Singapore adopted a system of conscription and reserve service based on the Israeli model . Singapore still maintains strong security ties with Israel and is one of the biggest buyers of Israeli arms and weapons systems, with one recent example being
12464-591: The Singapore and China held their third bilateral military training exercise. In 2019, Exercise Cooperation was conducted in Singapore with the Singapore Army ’s 3rd Singapore Division and 1st Commando Battalion, and the People's Liberation Army 's Southern Theater Command Army's 74th Army Group. In October, both countries' defence ministers signed an enhanced Agreement on Defence Exchanges and Security Cooperation. Military exercises and exchanges were suspended during
12616-449: The Singapore edition of Nanyang Siang Pau became owned by Nanyang Press Singapore. The two Chinese broadsheets in Singapore merged in March 1983 in anticipation of the impending falling readership, due to English being taught as first language in Singaporean schools. The merger led to the formation of Singapore News and Publications, which published the morning paper Lianhe Zaobao as well as
12768-465: The Temenggong's help, Raffles managed to smuggle Tengku Long back into Singapore. Raffles offered to recognise Tengku Long as the rightful Sultan of Johor, under the title of Sultan Hussein , as well as provide him with a yearly payment of $ 5000 and another $ 3000 to the Temenggong; in return, Sultan Hussein would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. The Treaty of Singapore
12920-542: The US-led coalition to fight terrorism, with bilateral co-operation in counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation initiatives, and joint military exercises. As Singapore has diplomatic relations with both the United States and North Korea , and was one of the few countries that have relationships with both countries, in June 2018, it hosted a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ,
13072-625: The United Kingdom. According to the 2024 Global Peace Index , Singapore is the 5th most peaceful country in the world. Capital punishment is a legal and enforced penalty in Singapore. The country is one of four in the developed world to retain the death penalty, along with the United States , Japan and Taiwan . Particularly, its use against drug trafficking has been a source of contention with non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch . The government has responded that it has "no doubts" that it
13224-741: The United States are: Luke Air Force Base in Arizona , Marana in Arizona, Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho , and Andersen Air Force Base in Guam . The SAF has sent forces to assist in operations outside the country, in areas such as Iraq , and Afghanistan , in both military and civilian roles. In the region, they have helped to stabilise East Timor and have provided aid to Aceh in Indonesia following
13376-564: The appropriate permits for the vehicles equipment, though it has been alleged that China manufactured the incident to protest against the Singaporean Army's use of Taiwan for training against the backdrop of worsening ties between both states then. The shipment was later moved to the Hong Kong Customs depot at Hong Kong River Trade Terminal and kept indoors since 6 December 2016. This was Hong Kong's biggest seizure of such equipment in
13528-552: The country's third prime minister. Lee Hsien Loong's tenure included the 2007–2008 financial crisis , the resolution of a dispute over land ownership at Tanjong Pagar railway station between Singapore and Malaysia, the introduction of the two integrated resorts (IRs), located at the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa , and the COVID-19 pandemic . The PAP suffered its worst ever electoral results in 2011, winning just 60% of votes, amidst debate over issues including
13680-415: The cultural identities of the major ethnic groups within the nation, Singapore has four official languages : English , Malay , Mandarin , and Tamil . English is the common language , with exclusive use in numerous public services . Multi-racialism is enshrined in the constitution and continues to shape national policies in education, housing, and politics. Singapore is a parliamentary republic in
13832-744: The death penalty is by no means uncontested internationally" and that the report contains "grave errors of facts and misrepresentations". From 1938 to 2023, sexual relations between men were technically illegal under Section 377A of the Penal Code , first introduced during British colonial rule. During the last few decades, this law was mostly unenforced and pressure to repeal it increased as homosexuality became more accepted by Singaporean society. Meanwhile, sexual relations between women had always been legal. In 2022, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Singapore would repeal 377A, effectively decriminalising homosexual behaviour. Nevertheless, he added that
13984-515: The delivery of fresh water to Singapore, and access by the Singapore Armed Forces to Malaysian airspace. Border issues exist with Malaysia and Indonesia, and both have banned the sale of marine sand to Singapore over disputes about Singapore's land reclamation. Some previous disputes, such as the Pedra Branca dispute , have been resolved by the International Court of Justice . Piracy in
14136-579: The end of the 14th century, its ruler Parameswara was attacked by either the Majapahit or the Siamese, forcing him to move to Malacca where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca . Archaeological evidence suggests that the main settlement on Fort Canning Hill was abandoned around this time, although a small trading settlement continued in Singapore for some time afterwards. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burned down
14288-429: The evening paper Lianhe Wanbao . Lianhe Zaobao was the most read newspaper in Singapore among all English and Chinese newspapers, according to a survey conducted by Survey Research Singapore in 1983, with a readership of 689,000 on weekdays and 743,000 on Sundays. On 4 August 1984, the company merged with The Straits Times Press Group and Times Publishing Berhad to form Singapore Press Holdings. From 8 September 2016,
14440-536: The exchange of Trade Offices between the two nations in September 1981. In 1985, commercial air services between mainland China and Singapore commenced. On 3 October 1990, the two countries formally established diplomatic relations . Singapore was the last country in Southeast Asia to formally recognize the People's Republic of China. Relations between the two countries gradually improved as China and Singapore forged agreements in free trade, education, foreign investment, modern armament and technology. Examples include
14592-500: The existing multicultural Singapore-centric society. Examples of this conflict include a curry dispute that pointed to an immigrant family's difficulty with accepting the local culture, an illegal bus driver strike in 2013 that challenged Singapore's sense of law and order, and a traffic collision by a Chinese immigrant driving at 178 km/h killing several people that angered Singaporeans. Some Singaporeans view these instances as manifestations of Chinese immigrants' lack of respect of
14744-403: The federation two years later; Singapore became an independent sovereign country in 1965. After early years of turbulence and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland , the nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers . As a highly developed country , it has one of the highest GDP per capita (PPP) in the world. It is also identified as a tax haven . Singapore
14896-457: The fighting for Singapore were heavy, with a total of nearly 85,000 personnel captured. About 5,000 were killed or wounded, of which Australians made up the majority. Japanese casualties during the fighting in Singapore amounted to 1,714 killed and 3,378 wounded. The occupation was to become a major turning point in the histories of several nations, including those of Japan , Britain , and Singapore. Japanese newspapers triumphantly declared
15048-708: The first-ever meeting between the sitting leaders of the two nations. It also hosted the Ma–Xi meeting in 2015, the first meeting between the political leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1950. The Singaporean military, arguably the most technologically advanced in Southeast Asia, consists of the Army , the Navy , the Air Force and
15200-496: The formal surrender of Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi on 12 September 1945. Meanwhile, Tomoyuki Yamashita was tried by a US military commission for war crimes, but not for crimes committed by his troops in Malaya or Singapore. He was convicted and hanged in the Philippines on 23 February 1946. Much of the infrastructure in Singapore had been destroyed during
15352-534: The influx of foreign workers and the high cost of living. On 23 March 2015, Lee Kuan Yew died , and a one-week period of public mourning was observed nationwide. Subsequently, the PAP regained its dominance in Parliament through the September general election , receiving 69.9% of the popular vote, although this remained lower than the 2001 tally of 75.3% and the 1968 tally of 86.7%. The 2020 election held in July saw
15504-439: The introduction of the non-constituency members of parliament in 1984 to allow up to three losing candidates from opposition parties to be appointed as MPs. Group representation constituencies (GRCs) were introduced in 1988 to create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority representation in parliament. Nominated members of parliament were introduced in 1990 to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs. The constitution
15656-502: The involved ship was charged with violating the Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations, which they both pleaded not guilty to. In April 2019, they were found guilty, with American President Lines sentenced to 90,000 HKD in fines (10,000 HKD for each vehicle), and the captain sentenced to 9,000 HKD in fines (1,000 HKD for each vehicle) and 3 months of jail time (suspended for 1.5 years). On 14 January 2024, Singapore congratulated
15808-532: The island became a global centre for rubber sorting and export. Singapore was not greatly affected by the First World War (1914–18), as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia . The only significant event during the war was the 1915 Singapore Mutiny by Muslim sepoys from British India, who were garrisoned in Singapore. After hearing rumours that they were to be sent to fight the Ottoman Empire ,
15960-671: The latter. Singapore has also participated in China's waves of industrialization by sharing experiences via state level cooperations in the establishment of China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park , Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city , Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park and the Sino-Singapore Jilin Food Zone. While the relationship between the two countries remains strong, it has been strained during numerous recent high-profile events, including Singapore's stance against China regarding
16112-490: The legal tradition established during British rule and with substantial local differences. Criminal law is based on the Indian Penal Code originally intended for British India , and was at the time as a crown colony also adopted by the British colonial authorities in Singapore and remains the basis of the criminal code in the country with a few exceptions, amendments and repeals since it came into force. Trial by jury
16264-402: The local culture, and an unwillingness to integrate. Similar backlash has been reported towards Indian , Filipino, and Bangladeshi immigrants. Such views have been exacerbated by immigrants in general competing for opportunities and resources. A study in 2016 of 10 PRC wives and 20 PRC students in Singapore found that 100% of the former and 90% of the latter said being polite to strangers
16416-477: The main island, training involving activities such as live firing and amphibious warfare are often carried out on smaller islands, typically barred to civilian access. However, large-scale drills, considered too dangerous to be performed in the country, have been performed in other countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand and the United States. In general, military exercises are held with foreign forces once or twice per week. Due to airspace and land constraints,
16568-482: The mainland Chinese concept of guanxi (connections) is also viewed in a positive light. A study in 2016 of Singaporean locals and (mostly mainland) Chinese students found that most respondents in both groups said they had pleasant interactions with each other (despite most Singaporeans saying the students tended to hang out in their own clique). Aside from bilateral exchanges, Singapore's Chinese-language Lianhe Zaobao newspaper has been cited by Chinese officials as
16720-463: The merger would prevent Singapore from becoming a haven for communism. To obtain a mandate for a merger, the PAP held a referendum on the merger . This referendum included a choice of different terms for a merger with Malaysia and had no option for avoiding merger altogether. On 16 September 1963, Singapore joined with Malaya, the North Borneo, and Sarawak to form the new Federation of Malaysia under
16872-661: The merger, the Singaporean government and the Malaysian central government disagreed on many political and economic issues. Despite an agreement to establish a common market, Singapore continued to face restrictions when trading with the rest of Malaysia. In retaliation, Singapore did not extend to Sabah and Sarawak the full extent of the loans agreed to for economic development of the two eastern states. Talks soon broke down, and abusive speeches and writing became rife on both sides. This led to communal strife in Singapore, culminating in
17024-472: The new country, the development of its military forces became a priority. In addition, in October 1971, Britain pulled its military out of Singapore, leaving behind only a small British, Australian and New Zealand force as a token military presence. A great deal of initial support came from Israel , a country unrecognised by Singapore's neighbouring Muslim-majority nations of Malaysia and Indonesia. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commanders were tasked by
17176-731: The new port. The island was then nominally ruled by Tengku Abdul Rahman , the Sultan of Johor , who was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis . However, the Sultanate was weakened by factional division: Abdul Rahman , the Temenggong of Johor to Tengku Abdul Rahman, as well as his officials, were loyal to the Sultan's elder brother Tengku Long , who was living in exile in Penyengat Island , Riau Islands . With
17328-403: The newly elected President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te , which was criticised by China. On 4 November 2021, Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen described Taiwan's political status as an issue that for the People's Republic of China, "goes to the heart of the political legitimacy of the leader, of the party of the party and it's a deep red line. I can think of no scenario which there are winners if there
17480-407: The next half-century. Economic growth continued throughout the 1980s, with the unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about 8% up until 1999. During the 1980s, Singapore began to shift towards high-tech industries, such as the wafer fabrication sector, in order to remain competitive as neighbouring countries began manufacturing with cheaper labour. Singapore Changi Airport
17632-579: The paper had taken a more pro-Beijing stance by creating a China-specific version of the website to avoid having its website blocked in China. Zaobao issued a rebuttal in response to the WaPo article, stressing that it maintained journalistic neutrality and independence. Singapore's ambassador to the US Lui Tuck Yew also responded by saying that in his former role as Singaporean Ambassador to China, he often heard Zaobao ’s readers of various nationalities affirm
17784-486: The paper has a weekly offline reach of 8% and online reach of 7% in Singapore. Zaobao is regarded as pro-Beijing by Western media outlets. The newspaper has included articles from pro-Beijing sources such as People's Daily , HK01 , Ming Pao , Global Times , China Times and United Daily News . It is one of the few foreign newspapers allowed in China, where all media is tightly controlled and content censored . According to Radio Free Asia , content about
17936-780: The paper’s balanced coverage and uniquely Singaporean viewpoints, adding that it was "misguided for American news outlets to expect Zaobao to resemble the Washington Post, or for Singapore to follow either the United States or China." At the September 2023 centennial celebration of the newspaper, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong said he was "heartened that Zaobao has been unwavering in its principles, and has remained independent and objective in its news reporting." He added that when publishing articles by foreign contributors, "Zaobao should also ensure that its readers are aware who these writers are speaking for and recognise that these views do not represent Zaobao’s stance." The paper
18088-515: The past twenty years. On 24 January 2017, Hong Kong Customs announced that the military vehicles would be returned to Singapore. Commissioner of the Customs and Excise Department , Roy Tang Yun-kwong, said that shipping company American President Lines would likely face criminal charges over the incident for suspected breach of the Hong Kong Law. In 2019, American President Lines and the captain of
18240-506: The population has also affected the way the SAF has been designed, with a small active force and a large number of reserves. Singapore has conscription for all able-bodied males at age 18, except those with a criminal record or who can prove that their loss would bring hardship to their families. Males who have yet to complete pre-university education, are awarded the Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship, or are pursuing
18392-572: The portal also presents news from two other Singapore Press Holdings Chinese-language newspapers, Lianhe Wanbao and Shin Min Daily News . According to The Washington Post , "Zaobao's combined print and digital circulation in Singapore fell from 187,900 in 2015 to 144,000 in 2020, according to company filings." According to a 2021 study from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism ,
18544-640: The press as well as some civil and political rights. In 2023, Singapore was ranked 129th out of 180 nations by Reporters Without Borders on the global Press Freedom Index . Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free" in its Freedom in the World report, and the Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Singapore as a "flawed democracy", the second freest rank of four, in its " Democracy Index ". All public gatherings of five or more people require police permits, and protests may legally be held only at
18696-442: The public nor elites had experience with democracy" helped create Singapore's political culture, as dominated by status-focused hierarchies committed to economic development. The legacy of Asian values and the limited political culture within Singapore has led to the country being described as "classic illustration of soft authoritarianism", and "profoundly illiberal". The judicial system is based on English common law , continuing
18848-453: The repeal will not affect the recognition of "traditional familial and societal norms," including how marriage is defined, leaving the legal status of same-sex marriage unchanged for the time, although the possibility of civil unions was not officially ruled out. Lee described this as a compromise between the conservative (and often religious) and progressive elements of Singaporean society to prevent further political fracturing. The law
19000-694: The same sex were not wrong at all or not wrong most of the time, up from 10% in 2013. The survey found that 27% felt the same way about same-sex marriage (an increase from 15% in 2013) and 30% did so about same-sex couples adopting a child (an increase from 24% in 2013). In 2021, six Singaporeans protested for improved trans protections in the educational system outside the Ministry of Education headquarters at Buona Vista . Pimps often traffic women from neighbouring countries such as China , Malaysia and Vietnam at their brothels as well as rented apartments and hostels for higher profit margins when they get
19152-474: The settlement, and the island faded into obscurity for the next two centuries. By then, Singapore was nominally part of the Johor Sultanate . The wider maritime region and much trade was under Dutch control for the following period after the 1641 Dutch conquest of Malacca . The British governor Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognised the island as a natural choice for
19304-753: The south along with the Riau Islands in Indonesia , the South China Sea to the east, and the Straits of Johor along with the State of Johor in Malaysia to the north. Singapore's history dates back at least eight hundred years, having been a maritime emporium known as Temasek and subsequently a major constituent part of several successive thalassocratic empires. Its contemporary era began in 1819, when Stamford Raffles established Singapore as an entrepôt trading post of
19456-433: The structure and responsibility of governance. The President is the head of state . The governance of Singapore is separated into three branches: The president is directly elected by popular vote for a renewable six-year term. Requirements for this position, which were enacted by the PAP government, are extremely stringent, such that only a handful of people qualify for the candidacy. These qualifications include that
19608-608: The subject of academic debates, it is nevertheless known from various documents that Singapore in the 14th century, then known as Temasek , was a trading port under the influence of both the Majapahit Empire and the Siamese kingdoms, and was a part of the Indosphere . These Indianised kingdoms were characterised by surprising resilience, political integrity and administrative stability. Historical sources also indicate that around
19760-420: The term as an endearing nickname—with Singapore being part of a Chinese family—other netizens as well as some Singaporeans felt that it implied Singapore was a small part of China, as a county, belittling the country's identity. The Singaporean Chinese today are largely Singapore-born and bred with the exception of some first-generation Chinese, and have no loyalty to either the People's Republic of China or to
19912-515: The terms of the Malaysia Agreement . Under this Agreement, Singapore had a relatively high level of autonomy compared to the other states of Malaysia. Indonesia opposed the formation of Malaysia due to its own claims over Borneo and launched Konfrontasi ("Confrontation" in Indonesian) in response to the formation of Malaysia. On 10 March 1965, a bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurs on
20064-533: The trade unions and Chinese schools, waged a guerrilla war against the government, leading to the Malayan Emergency . The 1954 National Service riots , Hock Lee bus riots , and Chinese middle schools riots in Singapore were all linked to these events. David Marshall , pro-independence leader of the Labour Front , won Singapore's first general election in 1955. He led a delegation to London , and Britain rejected his demand for complete self-rule. He resigned and
20216-615: The trip due to the complicated political status of the region Later in 2004, Chinese government put bilateral relations on hold. In his maiden National Day Rally speech, Lee criticised the Taiwanese leadership and populace of overestimating the support they would receive if they were to declare Taiwan independent . China has its embassy on Tanglin Road in Singapore, while Singapore's embassy in Beijing on Jianguomen Wai Avenue , Chaoyang District
20368-483: The two. It was thought that reuniting with Malaya would benefit the economy by creating a common market, alleviating ongoing unemployment woes in Singapore. However, a sizeable left-wing faction of the PAP was strongly opposed to the merger, fearing a loss of influence, and hence formed the Barisan Sosialis , after being kicked out from the PAP. The ruling party of Malaya, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO),
20520-623: The victory as deciding the general situation of the war. Between 5,000 and 25,000 ethnic Chinese people were killed in the subsequent Sook Ching massacre . British forces had planned to liberate Singapore in 1945/1946; however, the war ended before these operations could be carried out. After the Japanese surrender to the Allies on 15 August 1945, Singapore fell into a brief state of violence and disorder; looting and revenge-killing were widespread. British, Australian, and Indian troops led by Lord Louis Mountbatten returned to Singapore to receive
20672-410: The war, including those needed to supply utilities. A shortage of food led to malnutrition, disease, and rampant crime and violence. A series of strikes in 1947 caused massive stoppages in public transport and other services. However, by late 1947 the economy began to recover, facilitated by a growing international demand for tin and rubber. The failure of Britain to successfully defend its colony against
20824-494: Was abolished in 1970. Singapore is known for its strict laws and conservative stances on crime; both corporal punishment (by caning ) and capital punishment (by hanging ) are retained and commonly used as legal penalties. The right to freedom of speech and association is guaranteed by Article 14(1) of the Constitution of Singapore , although there are provisions in the subsequent subsection that regulate them. The government has restricted freedom of speech and freedom of
20976-420: Was amended in 1991 to provide for an elected president who has veto power in the use of past reserves and appointments to certain public offices. In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee and became Singapore's second prime minister. During Goh's tenure, the country went through the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2003 SARS outbreak. In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong , the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew , became
21128-534: Was due to Singapore's experience with communists, the backdrop of the ongoing Vietnam War , as well as domestic political considerations. As a result, Singapore did not establish diplomatic relations with China until the other countries in Southeast Asia had decided they wanted to do so, to avoid portraying a pro-China bias. His official visits to China starting in 1976 were conducted in English, to assure other Southeast Asian countries that he represented Singapore, and not
21280-669: Was established in 1990, and it has Consulates-General in Chengdu , Guangzhou , Shanghai , and Xiamen , as well as Hong Kong , known during the era of British rule as the Singapore Commission. While Singapore is not a party to the territorial disputes in the South China Sea , it has an interest in the outcome of these disputes since they have implications for international law, freedom of navigation, and ASEAN unity. In 2016, China's Global Times accused Singapore of supporting
21432-533: Was fully occupied with defending Britain, leaving Singapore vulnerable to Japanese invasion . During the Pacific War , the Japanese invasion of Malaya culminated in the Battle of Singapore . When the British force of 60,000 troops surrendered on 15 February 1942, British prime minister Winston Churchill called the defeat "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history". British and Empire losses during
21584-456: Was granted in 1959. The PAP, self-described as pragmatic, have a syncretic ideology combining free-market principles , civil nationalism , and welfarism . Despite promulgating restrictions on civil liberties, Singapore under the PAP has seen consistent economic growth and political stability. The most represented and popular opposition party is the centre-left Workers' Party , which holds 8 seats in Parliament. The long-standing hegemony of
21736-536: Was important. Of the 20 Chinese Singaporeans surveyed, 45% agreed with the view that mainland migrants were rude (although only 15% expressed negative attitudes towards mainland Chinese in general). In sports, the Singaporean identity has been big enough to the point that Olympic medals won by China-born Singaporean athletes in 2008 and 2012 who had freshly received citizenship from the city-state (such as Feng Tianwei , Wang Yuegu , and Li Jiawei ) were not considered Singaporean victories by many locals. In 2002, it
21888-403: Was nonetheless the largest dry dock in the world, the third-largest floating dock , and had enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months. The base was defended by heavy 15-inch (380 mm) naval guns stationed at Fort Siloso , Fort Canning and Labrador, as well as a Royal Air Force airfield at Tengah Air Base . Winston Churchill touted it as the " Gibraltar of
22040-510: Was officially repealed on 3 January 2023. Pink Dot SG , an event held in support of the LGBT community, has drawn thousands of people annually since 2009 with increasing attendance. According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies in 2019, Singaporean society has become more liberal on LGBT rights. In the survey, more than 20% of people said that sexual relations between adults of
22192-399: Was one of the earliest references to Singapore Island, which corresponds to a Chinese account from the third century referred to a place as Pú Luó Zhōng ( Chinese : 蒲 羅 中 ), a transcription of the Malay name for 'island at the end of a peninsula '. Early references to the name Temasek (or Tumasik) are found in the Nagarakretagama , a Javanese eulogy written in 1365, and
22344-488: Was opened in 1981 and Singapore Airlines was formed. The Port of Singapore became one of the world's busiest ports and the service and tourism industries also grew immensely during this period. The PAP has remained in power since independence. Some activists and opposition politicians see the government's strict regulation of political and media activities as an infringement on political rights. In response, Singapore has seen several significant political changes, such as
22496-427: Was reorganised. It eventually merged with the University of Singapore to form the National University of Singapore . Lee Kuan Yew , the first Prime Minister of Singapore was very careful to avoid giving any impression to the other countries in Southeast Asia that Singapore, three-quarters ethnic Chinese, was a "Third China" (the first two being the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China ). This
22648-512: Was replaced by Lim Yew Hock in 1956, and after further negotiations Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs on 3 June 1959. Days before, in the 30 May 1959 election , the People's Action Party (PAP) won a landslide victory. Governor Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode served as the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State). PAP leaders believed that Singapore's future lay with Malaya, due to strong ties between
22800-541: Was revealed that China had officially offered Singapore to shift its training facilities from Taiwan to Hainan Island . In 2008, China and Singapore signed an agreement, Agreement on Defense Exchanges and Security Cooperation, for military visits, exchanges, port calls, and exercises between the two countries. In 2009, China and Singapore held its first bilateral army exercise, Exercise Cooperation , in Guilin , China. China and Singapore conducted their second joint counterterrorism exercise in 2010. In November 2014,
22952-427: Was signed on 6 February 1819. In 1824, a further treaty with the Sultan led to the entire island becoming a part of the British Empire . In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements , then under the jurisdiction of British India . Singapore became the regional capital in 1836. Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenous Malays along with
23104-410: Was staunchly anti-communist, and it was suspected UMNO would support the non-communist factions of PAP. UMNO, initially sceptical of the idea of a merger due to distrust of the PAP government and concern that the large ethnic Chinese population in Singapore would alter the racial balance in Malaya on which their political power base depended, became supportive of the idea of the merger due to joint fear of
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