Along with two fellow NUS undergraduates, I have been studying in Shanghai's Fudan University since September on an inter-vasity exchange programme. The stint has proven to be an eye-opener - it has given me a better understanding and appreciation of where Singapore stands and what it takes for us to keep up with the fast-changing world.

　　At Fudan University, we witness people from different parts of the world actively learning the Chinese language. Even if the driving force is the desire to reap business and economic benefits from a rapidly-developing China, the motivation to learn new things and the sheer determination to succeed are, in themselves, traits that are commendable.

　　Not long ago, Beijing announced that the “Learn English Campaign” would be a nationwide effort. To link up effectively with the world after China's entry into the World Trade Organisation, even shopkeepers and primary students are encouraged to learn to speak English. Well aware of its inadequacy, China has demonstrated an irrepressible desire to catch up with the world.

　　This is an example that shows the willingness to learn, change and progress.

　　It begs the question: Have Singaporeans done the same? And if we have not, are we prepared to let go of our pride - because we are already well-developed and prosperous - to adopt a humble attitude and start learning from others, even countries which appear to have done less well than ours? The readiness to keep on learning is vital to our continued survival. An appropriate sense of humility is necessary, especially for small countries.

　　As China's biggest city, Shanghai has made phenomenal progress over the years, thanks in part to the contribution of foreign talent. This is in spite of the anti-foreigners attitude that is still deep-rooted among some Shanghainese. In dealing with the negative sentiments of some Singaporeans over the presence of foreign talent, perhaps we can take a leaf out of Shanghai's experience.

　　I had been told of an incident in which a foreign student at Fudan was not allowed to eat at the student canteen - foreign students have to go to a different canteen meant for them.

　　But even as I gripe about not being able to join the circles of local students, I must admit that I was initially reluctant to move into the university's six-to-a-room hostel. We can be so self-contradictory at times.

　　The two undergrads and myself can now empathise better with people from China (or foreigners of other nationalities) and understand how hurt they must feel when Singaporeans look down on them or ridicule them for areas in which they are lagging behind us. And for those who have decided to sink roots here but are made to feel unwanted, if we continue to be biased against them, how can we expect them to develop a sense of belonging to our island state?

　　The lesson from Shanghai is, I think, the spirit of using the knowledge and skills of foreign talent in areas which the locals are not yet competent. Caution should, however, be exercised, in order not to arouse feelings against foreigners. Making foreigners feel rejected reflects a lack of confidence in ourselves and a misconception that they have deprived us of job opportunities.

　　Besides, conceit and a sense of superiority have either blinded us to our own weaknesses or made us ignore them. We go on viewing foreign talent who have much to contribute to our continued prosperity with tainted glasses. We need to address these two problems to overcome the issue over foreign talent.

　　When we witness the obstacles the Chinese face in learning English, such as the lack of opportunities to practise speaking the language, we also realise how fortunate we are to grow up in a bilingual environment and to be comfortable in both the Chinese and English languages (never mind that we are still a long way from the objective of being effectively bilingual).

　　We have also been impressed with the diligence of the Chinese, for example, listening to tapes on public transport to learn conversational English. It is clear that should we become complacent and cease to make progress, the Chinese will catch up and overtake us in no time. This may sound cliched, but it is a fact of life. Worse still, the more ignorant Singaporeans may be so contented with the progress we have made that they have become stagnant. They have no idea that compared to what other countries have achieved, our success may be rather insignificant.

　　Young Singaporeans must guard against being lulled into a sense of security by our stable and comfortable life and become unwilling to “change”. This may lead to complacency and even arrogance. The latter spells danger and may signal the beginning of a crisis.

　　No country will remain prosperous forever.We would do well to remind ourselves that change is the only constant.

(The writer is a student in the Chinese Studies Department, NUS. She is studying for a samester at Shanghai's Fudan Univerity on a Students' Exchange Programme. Translated by Yap Gee Poh)

　　自从中国元老邓小平1992年南巡时提出向新加坡学习以来，新加坡一直在中国人心目中享有很高的地位和极佳的国家形象。

上海复旦大学

　　我和二友人原就读于国大，九月间同行负笈上海复旦大学，参与校际交流计划。这两个月里所见所闻让我对自己作为一个新加坡人的意义有了更深一层的认知与体会。

　　在复旦学习，我们看到来自世界各地不同国家的人，非常积极地学习华文。姑且不论他们是否是因为“看准”中国的崛起能给他们带来商机与经济利益而学习华文，单是他们尝试新事物的勇气和学有所成的决心，就足以令人钦佩。

　　不久前，北京宣布政府将在全国展开“学习英文”运动，即便是小商店店员、小学生，也都鼓励他们学习英文，以配合中国“入世”，在不久的将来能更轻易地与世界接轨。他们看到了自己的不足而决心迎头赶上，这股力量是势不可当的。

　　这个例子是求新、求变与求进精神的体现。我们是否该自问我们已做到这一点了吗？而如果没有，那我们又是否愿意放下自己因国家的相对发达与繁荣而得到的自豪感，虚心向他国学习呢，即便是那些看似较落后的国家？国家的继续生存，这是一大因素。适度的谦卑是必要的。大国如是，小国就更须要这么做。

　　上海是中国第一大都会，近年来发展迅速，外来人才或可说功不可没。然而，不少上海人的排外心理仍是根深蒂固的。关于新加坡外来人才在国人当中产生矛盾的问题，我们自可从中借鉴处理之道。

　　在复旦曾听闻一个外地学生要到学生餐厅用餐却遭拒，理由是：“这里只给本地学生用餐，你们留学生到留学生楼去。”

　　另一方面，我必须承认我在埋怨无法融入当地学生生活的同时，不大愿意住进他们六人一房的宿舍，人性的脆弱在在显现。

　　我们这也才体会到在新加坡，人们自以为是地嘲笑中国人(或其他国籍的人)在某些方面的落后并鄙视他们，对他们而言，是多么大的伤害。那些选择在新加坡落地生根的外国人，一心要融入我国的社会却遭排挤，我们歧视他们的心理若继续不变，又何以要求他们对新加坡有归属感呢？

　　回到正题，我认为我们要学习的是上海取外来人才之长，补己之短的精神，要提防的是在这么做的同时，助长了国人的排外心理。其导因不外有二：缺乏自信而抗拒外来人才，无知地认为他们剥夺了自己的就业机会。

　　其二，自大心理与国家优越感作祟，使人们对于自身的脆弱懵然无知或视而不见，却偏偏还带着有色眼光看待对于我国继续繁荣昌盛影响颇大的外来人才。两种偏见不除，问题将继续存在。

　　另一方面，我们在看到中国人学习英文所碰到的种种障碍时，如缺乏常常使用它的环境，都庆幸我们这一辈国人能在双语环境中成长，并能有效驾驭汉英两种语言（尽管我们离真正通晓双语的目的还有一段距离）。

　　然而，我们也看到他们的不懈努力（如乘公交时也听录音带学习英语对话），清楚意识到我们要是安于现状，不精益求精，最终将让他们迎头赶上并超越我们。这虽为老生常谈，却如此确切！

　　而更糟的是那些无知的人自以为已有所成就而停滞不前，却还不晓得相对于他国，这样的成就可能是极其微不足道的。

　　下一代国人要慎防国家、社会生活的相对稳定与安逸，让“不变”的心理得以滋长——安于现状变成自满，自满最终将变成可悲的自大，自大便是危机的开端，此时国家将危在旦夕。更何况任何一个国家都没有可能永远繁荣不衰!

·作者是国大中文系学生。在学生交流计划下，目前在上海复旦大学上课一学期。

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