The real story behind China's learning experience in Singapore

  Deng Xiaoping opened up China to the world, to learn from the world, to build a new industrial and prosperous China for its people. It was so simple on paper. Just a simple idea, like a poor man wanting to be rich, learn, work hard, and climb the social ladder.

The implementation of this simple idea is anything but simple, The assumptions and thinking behind this idea, the planning, execution, the political will to make it happen and many things that are not noticed, are all part and parcel to turn this idea into a new economic and technological miracle. China sent many teams of administrators from cities and towns to Singapore to learn from Singapore. They don't learn just the methodology, but the systems of administration, the legal systems, the ethos and work ethics of administrating new economic zones, everything that needs to make it a success.

China also learn all the supporting structures and manpower to turn cities and towns into little Singapore, operating efficiently like Singapore. They embarked on education on a massive scale, to become STEM engineers, not religious leaders. The transformation of China into an economic giant is not just superficial learning, come to Singapore, look see, look see, go back and be happy. There was the accompanying political will to make sure what they learnt are turned into successful projects. They put their very best men on the job, not masak masak. Learning is only a part of the whole process. The execution to make things work as they should be is the tedious part.

What people did not know or want to know is that China apply the rule by law to all its business contracts and investments, especially in all the special economic zones. They followed rules and systems. China invited a lot of foreign investors and whatever was agreed upon, China and Chinese companies will abide by all the contractual terms and agreements. No sneaky and blatant violation of contracts, no changes to cheat the investors, no abuse of laws or legislations to cheat and rob foreign investors. Whatever contracts the Chinese signed, they signed with eyes open, will be followed through, unlike some third world countries that will turn around and say contract not valid, let's renegotiate, or change the terms of the contracts or came out with dubious and suspicious laws to violate the contracts, to cheat and rob the investors, to seize the assets of investors.

China makes sure that it is a reliable and trustworthy partner when dealing with foreign investors. Trust is of utmost importance. The words of China and Chinese companies are as good as gold. No funny changes, no sanctions, no bans, no fabricated charges or violations of fictitious laws. China will honour all its contractual agreements. No foreign investor has been cheated by China investing in China.

Trust and honour are the name cards of China's economic success. This cannot be learnt by corrupt and simple minded third world countries when they chose the short cut to cheat and to rob foreign investors. It is not easy to learn to be honest and trustworthy when cheating is a way of life and thinking they are so clever.