Speeches
Speech By The President At The State Banquet Hosted By The President And Mrs Nathan In Honour Of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II And His Royal Highness The Duke Of Edinburgh At The Istana On Friday, 17 March 2006
17 March 2006
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Your Majesty
Your Royal Highness
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with much pleasure that my wife and I welcome Your Majesty and Your Royal Highness on this State Visit, on behalf of the Government and People of Singapore. Your Majesty’s gracious presence again in our midst, after almost a decade and a half, touches us, one and all.
Your Majesty is much endeared by our people of all walks of life. Through the occasions of your past interactions with Singaporeans, they have remained touched by Your Majesty’s warmth, dignity and graciousness. Many Singaporeans still recall with much fondness, their personal experiences of your past visit, and for some the personal interest that Your Majesty showed for them and about their lives. Today, the same family that you visited 34 years ago was overwhelmed by Your Majesty’s gracious presence among them. I am sure this memory of your visit to them will forever be etched in their minds and that of their neighbourhood. The enthusiastic welcome by others in Singapore, as your drove past them, attests to the genuine affection and esteem in which you are held by our people.
These sentiments of our people towards Your Majesty also extend to the people of the United Kingdom. Lately, we rejoiced with London as she came from behind to clinch the privilege to host the 2012 Olympics. That this victory came about here in Singapore gave us added pleasure. We also stood with London as she bore the shock and grief following the 7th July bombing last year. We watched with admiration the indomitable spirit of the people of London as they responded to that incident with calm and resolve. London’s cohesiveness and resilience in the face of Terror, reinforced by Your Majesty’s benevolence, has given us in Singapore much to emulate as we too face this unpredictable threat to us and the rest of this region.
In fact, Your Majesty's present visit to Singapore reflects the close relations that our two countries have continued to build at all levels since Singapore's independence. Despite the great many changes that Singapore had undergone in the intervening years, what has remained unchanged are the genuine bonds of friendship and trust, and the shared strategic interests that serve as the foundation of our ties. That is the abiding bond that ties our two countries.
Your Majesty
In recent years, our economies have become increasingly intertwined through trade and investment. The UK continues to play an important role in the Singapore economy. There are over 2,000 British companies here. The UK is our second largest European trading partner and largest foreign investor by stock of total Foreign Direct Investment. As a testament to its economic competitiveness, the UK remains one of the more popular investment destinations for our companies.
Both countries are also connected by a dense web of people-to-people links. Many Singaporeans aspire to further their studies in the UK, with over 3,800 students currently studying in various institutions. Many of our Cabinet members, including Minister Mentor and Mrs Lee, who are here today, are alumni of fine British universities. The strong and active British community in Singapore also plays an important role in furthering these people-to-people links. As educators, performers of the arts, leading scientists, bankers, investors and engineers, the British community has contributed much to Singapore society. We are glad that they have been an integral part of Singapore's growth, development and prosperity.
Due to a common language, the ties of history, and the UK's rich cultural heritage, Singapore and the UK have continued to sustain our cultural exchanges. March 2005 marked a significant milestone in our cultural relations when London was chosen to showcase the inaugural Singapore Season, an array of performances and highlights of the Singapore arts scene. These strong links have been further amplified through tourism, with over 460,000 British arrivals in Singapore and about 87,000 Singaporeans visiting the UK in 2004.
Your Majesty
The world around us has changed considerably since your last visit. In this new globalised world, there is still much that we can do to enhance our mutual cooperation. A new growth area is in science and technology. In July 2005, a Joint Statement on Science, Engineering and Technology was signed by Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Lee Hsien Loong. Growing cooperation in this field is exemplified today by the number of top British scientists and researchers doing ground-breaking research and development in Singapore.
Your Majesty
Let me conclude by saying that the UK remains a close and valuable partner for Singapore and the region. Singapore believes that there is an even bigger role awaiting the UK in this region. I am glad that our two countries are working to forge an even stronger partnership to prepare us to better face the challenges that the new century beckons us.
Your Majesty
Your Royal Highness
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is now my great pleasure to invite you to join me in a toast:
To the good health and well-being of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh; and
To the close friendship between the governments and between the peoples of the United Kingdom and Singapore.