Singapore founding father Lee Kuan Yew says Xi Jinping is in Mandela's class
Elder statesman's new book praises president's 'great breadth' and the way he endured many trials to work his way up Communist Party ladder
Lee Kuan Yew has praised President Xi Jinping as a man of "great breadth", comparing him to Nelson Mandela.
The high praise from Lee, Singapore's founding father who turns 90 next month, comes from his new book, One Man's View of the World, which was launched yesterday.
He appeared alert but frail at the launch and did not take questions.
Lee is widely credited with building Singapore into one of the world's wealthiest nations with a strong, pervasive role for the state and little patience for dissent. His influence extended beyond the tiny population of 5.3 million, as the city state's economic success served as a model for many developing countries, including China under Deng Xiaoping , and he still garners respect from global leaders.
In his book, Lee says he met Xi in November 2007 in the communist leader's first meeting with a foreign leader after he was promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee. "He struck me as a man of great breadth," said Lee, praising the way Xi endured various trials and tribulations and worked his way up through the Communist Party. "I would put him in the Nelson Mandela class of persons."
Although China is becoming increasingly powerful, Lee said the United States' economic prowess was unlikely to wane, due to its innovative skills that lead to gadgets such as the iPad.