Tuan and I just returned from a long weekend in Singapore. Our mission was simple: launch a first approach into the Asian nearshore market for our Vietnamese subsidiary. I would like to note, however, that we didn’t see many companies and we are not about to make a quick decision on this matter. We have time and presently I am speaking only in terms of an exploratory approach. We will also soon go to Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.
I had never been to Singapore and Tuan neither. Our impression is rather unclear. Is this truly Asia? This 100% English speaking population, this ultra clean city, incredibly monitored, with a crime rate near 0 confuses us, both in the same way, despite our differences.
Singapore is also an amazing construction site, worthy of the Kings of France or the Pharaohs of Egypt – I am thinking about the Sands Casino (the same as The Sands of Las Vegas) which is absolutely amazing – and the incredible density of skyscrapers. But something else surprised me. There is no trace of an embarrassing construction site. No mud behind the trucks, no piles of construction materials. Professionalism is the rule everywhere. This is remarkable and almost oppressive.
I would like to revisit Singapore with an architect and an urban planner to better understand how it works, how traffic can be so smooth, despite the incredible population density. But also to understand how the air can be also so breathable in a place so close to the equator and so populated. I could not help thinking of Voltaire… Singapore… is this, the place, of an enlightened dictatorship advocated by the French philosopher? In any case, what is certain is that Singaporeans do not want to change anything, especially not the political system. It is very surprising because we also visited an IT exposition where we were faced with the behaviour of people displaying collective madness, with people creating an ambiance of excitement, singing or screaming the prices, spontaneous auctions, and promotional papers thrown around the aisles of the show. In any case… this is Asia.
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