Singapore wants to expand role as a gateway to China

Singapore said yesterday it wanted greater expertise on China and expand its role as a gateway between the huge communist country and the rest of the world.

Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told a seminar Singapore's niche role as a "bridge" to Chin would not last as China opened up.

"We must therefore quickly build on our knowledge of China and develop greater expertise on the country. This will enable us to leverage on our global links to become one of the gateways between China and the rest of the world," Lee said in a speech.

Harvard Business School guru Michael Porter, who spoke at the same conference, described China as a "giant vacuum cleaner sucking up foreign investment."