- Joined
- Aug 14, 2009
- Messages
- 3,634
- Points
- 0

"The centrepiece of the Beijing visit (in 1976) was the formal meeting between the prime minister's delegation and the Chinese premier Hua Guofeng.
During the discussions, Hua presented the PM with a book, saying, 'This is a correct version of the war between China and India. I hope you will find it useful.'
Lee Kuan Yew took the book, looked at the front cover, looked at the back, and said, 'Mr Prime Minister, this is your version of the war. There is another version, the Indian version. And in any case, I am from Southeast Asia - it's nothing to do with us.'
He handed the book back.
For me, this was a very important moment, a clear confirmation that Lee Kuan Yew, although ethnically Chinese, was his own man, in no way subordinate to China or the Chinese communists.
We in Singapore had a separate, multi-racial identity. What we made clear was that we should not be taken for granted.
The Chinese foreign minister Qiao Guanhua was rather agitated but kept his cool; his wife did not, and walked out of the room in a huff." - SR Nathan.
... in his book, 'An Unexpected Journey: Path to Presidency (pg 424).
SRN was then Director SID.