Читать книгу Exciting Singapore - David Blocksidge - Страница 5
ОглавлениеEXCITING singapore
a visual journey
ON THE SURFACE, Singapore appears to be a brash, modern city just like many in the West. Yet beneath this veneer you will find a fascinating blend of Asian cultures. It is a nation at a crossroads, as Stamford Raffles recognised when he in effect colonised Singapore for the British in the nineteenth century. He turned the island into a thriving trading post between East and West. Mass migrations from China and elsewhere further transformed Singapore. After the Second World War and the Japanese invasion, the British granted Singapore self-governance in 1959. An attempt in 1963 to merge with Malaysia failed due to the regional tensions the alliance created, so in 1965 Singapore became an independent nation. Strong leadership led to modern Singapore: safe, clean, successful; a wealthy little country with a big reputation.
