Singapore and Hong Kong: How two small cities diverged in policy choices

[Mista]

Switzerland is a mini Germany. Her manufacturing is much focused on fine mechanics, special chemicals, medicine and biotech. I don’t see that SG.

I don’t want to be a racist but that is an impossible task for SG. East Asians are not well known as people being excellent in fine mechanics, biotech and special chemistry.

Singapore:

Manufacturing value-added per worker:
Germany: $88.5K
Switzerland: $152K
Singapore: $190K

https://www.brookings.edu/research/...card-how-the-us-compares-to-18-other-nations/
https://www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/search-by-theme/industry/manufacturing/latest-data
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/industries-and-key-activities/advanced-manufacturing.html

Let’s Vietnam do manufacturing

You're contradicting what you say above that East Asians aren't capable of high-tech manufacturing. So it's just a turnaround saying we should move our high-tech manufacturing to Vietnam.

https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/medical-technology.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/energy-and-chemicals.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/pharmaceuticals-and-biotechnology.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/precision-engineering.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/aerospace.html

 

[vi-va]

Give Vietnamese good education first.

I don’t want to be a racist but that is an impossible task for SG. East Asians are not well known as people being excellent in fine mechanics, biotech and special chemistry.

You should focus on tourism, financial sector, bankings, logistics hub, money provider.

Let’s Vietnam do manufacturing

 

[Viet]

Singapore:
View attachment 582813

Manufacturing value-added per worker:
Germany: $88.5K
Switzerland: $152K
Singapore: $190K

https://www.brookings.edu/research/...card-how-the-us-compares-to-18-other-nations/
https://www.singstat.gov.sg/find-data/search-by-theme/industry/manufacturing/latest-data
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/industries-and-key-activities/advanced-manufacturing.html



You're contradicting what you say above that East Asians aren't capable of high-tech manufacturing. So it's just a turnaround saying we should move our high-tech manufacturing to Vietnam.

https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/medical-technology.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/energy-and-chemicals.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/pharmaceuticals-and-biotechnology.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/precision-engineering.html
https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/our-industries/aerospace.html

I just realized Singapore prosperity comes almost from FDI money. In total 1,200 billion USD or 1.2 trillion USD. By such money plus the willingness of the West to give technology, you are no surprise too rich. You can extract most out of manufacturing. Oh man, how can we copy your success?

 

[Mista]

I just realized Singapore prosperity comes almost from FDI money. In total 1,200 billion USD or 1.2 trillion USD. By such money plus the willingness of the West to give technology, you are no surprise too rich. You can extract most out of manufacturing. Oh man, how can we copy your success?

Singapore has the advantage of a good geographical location, stable governance, transparency, bilingualism (English and Chinese, arguably the 2 most important language in this century) which plugs us into huge markets and allow us to keep abreast of the world, not to remain culturally ignorant and arrogant, so that we can continue learning from others and reform. Our small size and hence sense of danger makes that adjustment of mindset easier.

At the end of day, it's the competitiveness which matters ultimately.

 

[8888888888888]

I'm surprise when I was there it doesn't seem like Singapore still has 20% manufacturing unless they count oil refineries than I can see it.

 

[beijingwalker]

Singapore's main advantage is its location, lying at the checkpoint of the world most important sea trade route.

 

[8888888888888]

I don't think UK wanted to give Singapore up after WW2.

 

[Viet]

Singapore has the advantage of a good geographical location, stable governance, transparency, bilingualism (English and Chinese, arguably the 2 most important language in this century) which plugs us into huge markets and allow us to keep abreast of the world, not to remain culturally ignorant and arrogant, so that we can continue learning from others and reform. Our small size and hence sense of danger makes that adjustment of mindset easier.

At the end of day, it's the competitiveness which matters ultimately.

Ok understood, you have the perfect geography location. But we too. We have the most perfect location. We connect East and West. But why you attract one trillion USD, while we attract a handful and worse, we attract dirty invaders?

 

[vi-va]

Ok understood, you have the perfect geography location. But we too. We have the most perfect location. We connect East and West. But why you attract one trillion USD, while we attract a handful and worse, we attract dirty invaders?

Bro, do you really understand what's FDI?

FDI is calculated to include all kinds of capital contributions, such as the purchases of stocks, as well as the reinvestment of earnings by a wholly owned company incorporated abroad (subsidiary), and the lending of funds to a foreign subsidiary or branch.

Singapore is financial center. The money come in and will reinvest into other market in Indo-Pacific.

Virgin islands attract more, it means nothing.

 

[Mista]

Ok understood, you have the perfect geography location. But we too. We have the most perfect location. We connect East and West. But why you attract one trillion USD, while we attract a handful and worse, we attract dirty invaders?

Like i said, competitiveness. Vietnam's infrastructure and skilled labor is barely even coping with the influx of cheap factories right now, and you're talking about high tech manufacturing which others need to have an absolute trust in you. That's excluding the intangibles like rule of law, IP, political stability, language, finance, etc.

There are so many countries in the world can be said the same. Why don't you ask why not Malaysia? Right next to us, originally the same country, common law, multilingual, better educated and more skilled than Vietnam, much bigger than SG, etc. Why Singapore? Why Vietnam?

Each country has its own competitive advantage.

 

[GeHAC]

What impress me is the Singapore HDB model. Mainland China can also learn a thing or two from it's public planning process. If HK has a strong government that could push forward such a plan, HKers would live much better.

 

[Viet]

Bro, do you really understand what's FDI?

FDI is calculated to include all kinds of capital contributions, such as the purchases of stocks, as well as the reinvestment of earnings by a wholly owned company incorporated abroad (subsidiary), and the lending of funds to a foreign subsidiary or branch.

Singapore is financial center. The money come in and will reinvest into other market in Indo-Pacific.

Virgin islands attract more, it means nothing.

View attachment 582843

Yes I know what Fdi stands for. Vietnam accumulated Fdi is about $400b, while Singapore more than $1,200b.

 

[Mista]

When VN cover SCS( east VN sea) wt sea mines, then many countries including SG is dead cos their merchant ships cant pass throught there.

We just simply wait till CN or US get weaker and weaker in trade war and take control of Mallaca after that, ASEAN armies, including SG's amry r terrible and completely usless.

Just like CN-Mongol got weaker after killing each other in 12th century and VN used that chance to annex Champa, Khmer lands

@waz

Irrelevant to topic.

 

[Viet]

Like i said, competitiveness. Vietnam's infrastructure and skilled labor is barely even coping with the influx of cheap factories right now, and you're talking about high tech manufacturing which others need to have an absolute trust in you. That's excluding the intangibles like rule of law, IP, political stability, language, finance, etc.

There are so many countries in the world can be said the same. Why don't you ask why not Malaysia? Right next to us, originally the same country, common law, multilingual, better educated and more skilled than Vietnam, much bigger than SG, etc. Why Singapore? Why Vietnam?

Each country has its own competitive advantage.

We have to start from somewhere haven’t we? Singapore had long been a paradise for mosquitoes. And you see how developed SG is today.
True, we fall behind. If not 100 years of wars, we would be better off today.

If I am not mistaken, the revised GDP of Vietnam reaches $300b in the first half of 2019. We would reach $600b by year end. Still lots of rooms for improvement.

 

[Mista]

We have to start from somewhere haven’t we?

Exactly. So why are you asking why Singapore and why not Vietnam etc?