China wants peace for growth: MM Lee

It won't overshadow smaller countries but will want to maintain good ties with US, Japan to ensure open market



CHINA'S preoccupation is to maintain good relations with other countries so that it can continue growing, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew says.

Interviewed on New Zealand television during his nine-day visit there, Mr Lee countered the perception of China emerging as a dominant power that would overshadow smaller countries.

'I'm not saying they're going to be a dominant political force,' he replied, when asked if this would happen by the year 2050. 'I don't think by 2050 they can overtake American technology or American capabilities. That will take them more than 30, 40 years, I mean it will take them a good part of this century.'

He said that over the next 10 to 20 years, he expected China to act as a 'stakeholder' and a 'player within the rules' of the international economic system.

During the interview by the NZ Television One station, Mr Lee was asked how small countries like Singapore and New Zealand could avoid being overshadowed by China.

'No, I don't think China wants to overshadow us,' he replied. Instead, China's 'preoccupations' were to maintain good relations with the United States and Japan, so as to ensure open markets and an inflow of investments and technology, he said.

It also wanted good ties with Europe, including Russia, South-east Asia and India. 'So they want friends all around the perimeter... because that's the way they will grow best, peacefully, they hope, and continuously.'

The Minister Mentor, who last visited New Zealand eight years ago, also observed that the country had changed significantly since then and seemed much more open to immigrants.

On whether New Zealand's understanding of Asia had developed, he said this would need to be a continuing process because countries throughout Asia were also changing, with the rise of a younger generation who had been educated differently and were differently oriented to the world.

He was also asked to share Singapore's secret to maintaining harmony in a diverse society.

'I'm not going to say that we are a successful multi-national society,' he said.

'What I'm prepared to say is that we have done better than most in muting the differences and the frictions that are inevitable with people living close together in a city sharing not very many similar ways of life, food, religions.'

Mr Lee leaves tomorrow for Australia where he is scheduled to meet Governor-General Michael Jeffery, Prime Minister John Howard and other members of the Cabinet.

He will also be conferred an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by the Australian National University in Canberra.

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