Waiting for ‘angmoh cun’ or white man’s ship

The wheel of fortune is turning and would continue to turn and fortune changes. In the 60s, the tourists coming here are the Americans and some Europeans. They were the rich and free spending tourists. The local shop keepers loved them. Every time an ‘angmoh cun’ is in town it will be boomtown Charlie. Business flourished, the service industries, food, hotels, shopping centres boomed. This state of affair went on till the end of the Vietnam War when the American GIs stopped coming. The waiting for ‘angmoh cun’ became a waiting game with no more Americans coming ashore.
 
The next group of free spending tourists was the Japanese. They came in the 70s and 80s. And they were the darlings of the tourist industry and the retail and service trade. All those involved in the tourist industry were eagerly waiting for the Japanese to arrive and to throw their money around. This came to an end too when Japan went into a recession, or its economy went to a stand still, with little growth. The free spending Japanese don’t come anymore. They had their moment of attention like the Americans.
 
Today the tourists that everyone is waiting for is Chinese tourists. They are the big spenders, much bigger spenders than the American and Japanese tourists and in bigger number. They did not just come to Singapore, to travel all over the world. And Singaporean shop keepers are not the only one waiting for them, the whole of Europe and America, Japan, Korea and SE Asian countries are waiting for the Communist Chinese to come. Some laid down red carpets to welcome them. Some European countries went to the extent of hiring Chinese policemen to protect them from local thugs.
 
The whole has indeed changed. The poor communists from China are now the rich communists that are throwing money all over the world. When they stopped coming, the local tourist industry wind down, the shop owners started crying. Where are the rich communists? We love them, we want them and we welcome them.
 
For centuries, the Chinese, especially the overseas Chinese, are ashamed to be called Chinese or identify themselves with anything Chinese. Even the Chinese also have very little pride and confidence in themselves. Today, the Chinese in China are very proud of being Chinese. The Chinese in Taiwan, once despised the mainland Chinese and wanted to call themselves Taiwanese, or even Japanese, are starting to think Chinese and feeling more comfortable calling themselves Chinese.
 
Chinese or being Chinese is no longer a dirty word. Chinese is now about being the richest nation, the most powerful nation in time to come, being rich and technologically superior, as good if not better than the West. The West is afraid. Never have they been challenged by another nation or civilization that can compete with them head to head in science and technology. The Chinese are telling the West your days of glory and supremacy are numbered.
 
China and the Chinese will upstage the Americans and the West in everything. Made in China 2025 is about China over taking the West not just in being the number one economy or number super power, but in science and technology. The Americans are trying to put a stop to this by starting this trade war, to prevent or slow down China’s rise as the most industrial and scientifically advanced nation on earth.
 
The wheel of fortune is turning and China is unstoppable. Singapore would be hung high and dry if the Chinese ships refuse to call at Tuas. Tuas would be a ghost harbour, a white elephant. Yes white elephant, if Singapore continues on its careless way to be on the wrong side of the Chinese equation.
 
Who cares about ‘angmoh cun’ any more? Everyone all over the world is waiting for the rich communists to throw money at them, in Europe and in the Americas as well.