2015年CRI Former Chinese Leader's 1978 Visit to Singapore Revisited: Han Tan Juan

 

It has been almost forty years since Chinese and Singaporean leaders last met each other - in 1978. 

At that time, Han Tan Juan was a chief editor for former Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs¹.

He recalls Lee's meeting with the then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping saying it was unlike any other in history, given the fact the China and Singapore hadn't yet established diplomatic relations. 

"His visit was extraordinary as a diplomatic activity because Singapore and China had not established relations back then, and the ties between the two countries were not as strong as today. There were still many unresolved issues." 

Mr. Lee paid special attention to Deng's visit and gave him a presidential welcome. 

"Mr. Lee rarely went to the airport to welcome state guests, but he went when Deng Xiaoping came and he went to see Deng off at the airport as well." 

Han also shares an anecdote² about the two leaders' meeting. Knowing Deng was a heavy smoker³, Mr Lee provided two ashtrays⁴ for the Chinese leader. 

"What is interesting is that Deng also knew Lee was sensitive to smoke. We don't know how he knew, but he did not smoke once during the two or three hours of the meeting." 

China and Singapore established relations in 1990; although communication between the top leaders from China and Singapore had began in 1978. 

Former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's visit to Singapore also played an important role in China's adoption⁵ of the reform and opening-up policy in 1979. 

During Xi's time in Singapore, he will also meet Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou to exchange views on the future of relations. 

This will be the first cross-Strait meeting between top leaders of both sides of the Taiwan Strait since the founding of New China in 1949. 

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua

1 memoirs   

n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数)

参考例句：

• Her memoirs were ghostwritten. 她的回忆录是由别人代写的。
• I watched a trailer for the screenplay of his memoirs. 我看过以他的回忆录改编成电影的预告片。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 anecdote   

n.轶事，趣闻，短故事

参考例句：

• He departed from the text to tell an anecdote.他偏离课文讲起了一则轶事。
• It had never been more than a family anecdote.那不过是个家庭趣谈罢了。

3 smoker   

n.吸烟者，吸烟车厢，吸烟室

参考例句：

• His wife dislikes him to be a smoker.他妻子不喜欢他当烟民。
• He is a moderate smoker.他是一个有节制的烟民。

4 ashtrays   

烟灰缸( ashtray的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A simple question: why are there ashtrays in a no-smoking restaurant? 问题是：一个禁止吸烟的餐厅为什么会有烟灰缸呢？
• Avoid temptation by throwing away all cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays. 把所有的香烟，打火机，和烟灰缸扔掉以避免引诱。

5 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。