"In two generation, Mandarin will become our mother tongue," said Lee Kuan Yew, minister mentor and former prime minister of Singapore, at 'Speak Mandarin' campaign's 30th anniversary launch in Singapore on March 17, 2009.
A Singapore's official also said recently that Mandarin will become Singaporean predominant common language. Singaporeans are being encouraged to speak fluent Mandarin.
Both English and Chinese are very important in Singapore because people speak different language in different conditions. But Chinese language is growing more and more important, said a shopkeeper at Singapore's Chinatown.
Since the global financial crisis, Singapore has regarded enhancing relations with China as a strategic focus. It hopes to share the fruits of the rapid Chinese economy.
With China's increasingly important role at international area, mastering Chinese language and culture will bring added value to Chinese Singaporeans, said a Singapore's official.
The Government of Singapore has been promoting the use of Mandarin among the Chinese population with its Speak Mandarin Campaign since 1979.
According to official figures form Singapore's government, most of Singaporeans speak Mandarin at home. And now the focus is to improve their fluency in writing and speaking.
Singapore is China's third largest source of foreign investment. Direct investment form Singapore to China in 2008 totaled 6.5 billion U.S. dollars, up 40 percent form the previous year. And trade volume between the two countries in 2008 also increased by 17 times compared to that of in 1991.
