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A tale of two cities: Singapore, Hong Kong and their contrasting paths
Historian Wang Gungwu reflects on how political legacies have shaped Hong Kong and Singapore, two of Asia’s economic ‘tigers’
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In a new memoir No Borders: Journeys Across Islands And Continents, renowned historian Wang Gungwu traces his life across Malaya, London, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, sharing both personal anecdotes and perspectives on the changes in China and the modern world. In the excerpt below, Wang reflects on his impressions of Singapore after arriving from Hong Kong with his wife Margaret in the 1990s, the differences between the two cities, and his work on contemporary China with Singapore’s research institutes.
Coming from Hong Kong, Margaret and I expected no dramatic change in perspectives. Hong Kong and Singapore were both modern cities serving as global ports facing the South China Sea. Put simply, the main difference came from what the cities saw as their future.
For Hong Kong, it consisted mainly of Chinese people who spoke Cantonese and thought they knew how to deal with British officialdom. Mandarin speakers were still regarded with suspicion or condescension.
The city had its own pluralist features, greatly divided along many different political lines. They were prepared for the city’s return to a China homeland, but there were many who hoped that a reformed People’s Republic of China might eventually grow a system more like that of Hong Kong’s.
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