New memoir reveals Lee Kuan Yew’s approach to China diplomacy: ‘he wasn’t like the West’

In his newly released memoir Ink and Influence: An OB Markers Sequel, Cheong reflects on Lee’s deft handling of China relations, drawn from personal experience covering his landmark 1976 visit to Beijing and later working closely with him as editor-in-chief of Singapore newspaper The Straits Times from 1987 to 2006.

Ink and Influence outlines Cheong’s four-decade-long career in journalism and his interactions with political leaders while at The Straits Times before he served as Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to Chile. Cheong then offers his thoughts on the way forward for the Singaporean media outlet.

Speaking to This Week in Asia during the book’s launch on Wednesday, Cheong said that although Singapore was more developed than China in those days, Lee held the Chinese in high regard.

“He wasn’t like the West, for example, who would demonise. He could see where are the strengths of the Chinese, where are the weaknesses, and be honest. But more importantly, [there was] a lot of mutual respect,” Cheong said.

Cheong, 82, recounted an anecdote published by the Chinese in 2018 when China honoured 10 foreigners with the China Reform Friendship medal to mark the 40th anniversary of the country’s opening up. The write-up for Lee, who was one of 10, recalled a 1978 visit by Deng Xiaoping to Singapore when Lee asked to have a spittoon and ashtray placed in the Istana next to Deng, after Lee recalled Deng smoked and he had seen a spittoon in the Great Hall of the People on his previous visit to China.