On August 18, local time, Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered his first Prime Minister’s Speech in Malay, Chinese and English at the Singapore National Day Rally.
The Prime Minister’s Speech at the National Day Rally is one of the most important speeches in Singapore every year. During the speech, Lawrence Wong’s speech in Chinese became a highlight.
Lawrence Wong said: “Singapore uses English as a common language, but we are essentially an Asian society, not a Western society.” He also said that Singaporeans want to preserve the spiritual outlook and traditional values of Asians.
Later, Lawrence Wong used himself as an example to encourage citizens to receive Chinese education. He talked about how there was no opportunity to speak Chinese at home when he was a child, and he started learning Chinese after going to school. By the time he graduated from junior high school, he had passed the A1 (highest level) in Chinese.
Lawrence Wong promised that the Singapore government will adjust its education policy, “We hope to cultivate more ‘talents who are proficient in Chinese’.”
Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore, was the initiator of “Asian values”. He also proposed a set of specific interpretations of “Asian values”, including that social and national interests take precedence over individual interests, that the foundation of a country lies in the family, that the country should respect individuals, and that different religions should complement each other and live in harmony.
To a certain extent, Lee Kuan Yew proposed “Asian values” as a response to the West’s claim that Singapore is “Eastern despotism”. However, with the rapid development of Singapore’s economy, “Asian values” have also become an important intrinsic value of the Singapore model, and this value has also been inherited by subsequent Singaporean leaders.
Singapore’s second-generation leader Goh Chok Tong once said that citizens should “have firm moral values and strong family ties” and that “our Asian culture believes that community interests are superior to individual interests.”
Singapore’s third-generation leader Lee Hsien Loong also mentioned in his New Year’s message in 2024, “We have reflected on these timeless values and reiterated our commitment to upholding them.”
The National Day Rally attended by Lawrence Wong was the last National Day Rally before the general election in November 2025. Lawrence Wong’s speech was not only a presentation of his policy agenda, but also a resounding opening gong for the People’s Action Party’s performance in next year’s general election.