Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew died early Monday. Leaders of many countries, including China and the US, sent their condolences in no time, praising the statesman's multiple achievements. Singapore is a small Asian country, but performs a global role. The success of Singapore and Lee as its former leader is evident.

Lee created the Singapore model. It attaches importance to Western experience while holding on to Asian values. It also seeks a geopolitical balance among big powers. Lee is a guardian of Singapore's interests, the core of which is the country's existence and development.

Lee lived up to his reputation as an old friend of the Chinese people. The US and many other countries also viewed him as an old friend. He also maintained a good relationship with both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. The historical Koo-Wang Talks that paved the way for improved cross-Straits ties were held in Singapore in 1993.

The Sino-US relationship has proven complex. Ties between the mainland and Taiwan used to be tense. Southeast Asia, where Singapore lies, also experiences turbulence from time to time. Being a rich country beside the Strait of Malacca is difficult. If we think with a broader mind-set, we will see that China also faces difficulties in its position as a large rising country in the Western Pacific which promotes reform and opening-up. China and Singapore could easily foster a vigilant sentiment, but the two are friendly countries with mutual understanding.

Chinese society generally holds a positive and appreciative view toward Lee. Chinese people have gradually had a mature understanding of the word "friend."

For the Chinese government, it is not a hard choice to maintain a positive long-term relationship with Singapore and to offer a high affirmation to Lee's constructive role on China's reform and opening-up. What's more valuable is that mainstream Chinese society also holds such views.

Globally, Singapore is among one of the favored nations to cooperate with, and a number of major powers and neighboring countries "court" it. But China remains on good terms with it amid this complicated relationship, which shows China's maturity and broadens its major power diplomacy.

It is not difficult to discern the concerns of countries in Southeast Asia and those around China, through our relations with Singapore and Lee. Singapore's economic and social development is very successful, and this has drawn our attention to learn from it. But it also requires our wisdom to understand and deal with foreign policies in other developing countries.

When Lee's death was announced, the Chinese media gave both prominent coverage of Lee and condolences to Singapore. It validated the glorious life of this 91-year-old man, and also revealed the growing maturity of Chinese people's views in this era of opening-up.