Chinese officials delay study plans at Singapore university

Asian Economic News, July 19, 2004

SINGAPORE, July 18 Kyodo

More than 100 Chinese officials have put off plans to attend postgraduate studies at a Singapore state-run university as part of China's protest against Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's recent visit to Taiwan, a local newspaper reported Sunday.

A total of 126 Chinese officials have deferred plans to attend master's degree programs at Nanyang Technological University, forcing the university to suspend the courses, which were scheduled to start July 26, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

China has been angered by Lee's July 10-13 trip to Taiwan even though Singapore has said it was only a private and informal visit.

When informed of the trip prior to Lee's departure, Beijing advised that it be called off, warning that important exchanges with Singapore would suffer.

The courses affected cater exclusively to Chinese students. One of them, a master's of science in managerial economics, is taught mainly in Chinese. It was launched in 1998 for China's civil servants to learn about Singapore's economy, with 300 graduating so far.

The other program, a master's in public administration, is new.

Last week, China's central bank chief, Zhou Xiaochuan, called off a trip to Singapore to deliver a keynote address at a gathering of central bank leaders, and the Chinese delegation here for that meeting snubbed a dinner hosted by Lee.

On Friday, Shanghai stopped a Singapore company from holding a fair just two weeks before the event was due to open in the Pudong New Area.

The Singapore government has defended Lee's trip to Taiwan as vital to help Lee, who will become prime minister on Aug. 12, to update himself on the latest developments in cross-straits ties since his last visit in 1992.

China is one of the biggest sources of foreign students for Singapore, which has been keen to promote its education industry in recent years.

Hundreds of Chinese students are enrolled in both government and private schools and universities here. The Singapore government has also been offering scholarships to top Chinese students as part of a move to fill a shortage of talent here in areas such as scientific research.