How Lee Kuan Yew's political legacies have rubbed off on China
Communist Party inspired by Singapore's late leader, citing the city-state's stability, clean government, smooth transitions of power and rule of law
China's ruling Communist Party has indicated it will inherit some of Lee Kuan Yew's political legacies, saying the late Singaporean leader's thinking offers much to today's China.
In an article to commemorate Lee, who died on Monday, People's Daily yesterday summarised what it called his four major legacies with implications for China: maintaining social stability, achieving a smooth and orderly transition of political power, building a clean and uncorrupt government, and introducing the rule of law.
"Maintaining social stability and a harmonious environment for development is of critical importance," the article in the party mouthpiece said.
China had been inspired by how Lee managed the smooth and orderly succession of power in the city-state since his retirement in 1990, it said.
"China and Singapore have observed the same rules as they fit China's national condition and meet the requirement of the times," the paper said, referring to the leadership transitions in both nations in a commentary headlined "How Lee Kuan Yew's political legacy inspires China".
Both nations have twice seen leadership transitions in the past two decades. Lee handed over premiership to his deputy Goh Chok Tong in 1990, completing the so-called transition of power from the first generation to the second. In 2004, Lee's son Lee Hsien Loong succeeded Goh as prime minister as power moved to the third generation.
The Communist Party's first smooth and orderly transition of power without a living strongman was from president Jiang Zemin to Hu Jintao at the 16th party congress in 2002. Power then changed from Hu to President Xi Jinping at the 18th party congress in 2012.