mr funny
07-03-11, 17:52
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,428800-1299268740,00.html?
Published March 4, 2011
Punching way above its weight
S'pore deemed next big economic player after China and India
By CHUANG PECK MING
WHO'S going to be the next big player in the global economy, after China and India?
Singapore, according to the first Harris poll in Asia.
Almost half (46 per cent) of the Singaporeans polled think so, and an even bigger number - 58 per cent - of Indians gave Singapore the thumbs up.
The online poll, covering a total of 4,521 people from age 18 upwards in January-February, shows 38 per cent of Chinese, 33 per cent of Hongkongers and 17 per cent of Americans ticked Singapore as the next big player on a list that includes Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Vietnam, Malaysia and others.
Hong Kong, often touted as Singapore's closest economic competitor, is regarded by 42 per cent of the Americans polled to be the next big player in the global economy, according to the Harris poll, which is a household name in the United States and Europe.
Some 40 per cent of the 318 Hongkongers share the view, the same number as in China and India. The percentages for South Korea fall between 26 and 31 per cent, while those for Taiwan are 13 and 35 per cent.
'Seven in 10 Singaporeans are optimistic about their own economy, with 46 per cent seeing themselves take centre stage as the next big player in the global economy,' says Harris Interactive, the New York-based market research firm that did the poll.
'They also see themselves very much as part of a larger ecosystem: 70 per cent of Singaporeans think that India's growth is good for their economy, and 78 per cent say the same about China's growth,' it says in a press statement.
Probably based on their own experience, Singaporeans also think the critical factors for growth are proper infrastructure (35 per cent) and good country leadership (43 per cent).
Singapore also got the most mentions from Chinese, Indians, Singaporeans and Hongkongers as the country with the ideal economy to live in.
Almost half - 48 per cent - of the 308 adults polled in these countries say so, against 25 per cent for China.
Adults polled are virtually in agreement that the US is the most powerful country in the world, economically and militarily.
That's the view of over 70 per cent of those polled, except the Indians; only 58 per cent of the latter look up to the US as the most powerful country today.
But most - excluding the Americans themselves - see the US weakening. Just 7 per cent of the non-Americans polled think the US will still be the most powerful country in 2020. Only 6 per cent of Singaporeans agree.
At least a third of the adults polled, including Americans, see China as the next most powerful country. 'China seems to have a much more aggressive picture of their ability to sustain economic growth, with 53 per cent Chinese indicating that they believe they will be the most powerful economy in 2050 versus 35 per cent of Indians who believe the same about their own economy,' says Harris.
To sustain growth, the Chinese believe free and open trade (39 per cent) and a growing consumer market (39 per cent) are most critical, opinions shared by Hongkongers.
Published March 4, 2011
Punching way above its weight
S'pore deemed next big economic player after China and India
By CHUANG PECK MING
WHO'S going to be the next big player in the global economy, after China and India?
Singapore, according to the first Harris poll in Asia.
Almost half (46 per cent) of the Singaporeans polled think so, and an even bigger number - 58 per cent - of Indians gave Singapore the thumbs up.
The online poll, covering a total of 4,521 people from age 18 upwards in January-February, shows 38 per cent of Chinese, 33 per cent of Hongkongers and 17 per cent of Americans ticked Singapore as the next big player on a list that includes Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Vietnam, Malaysia and others.
Hong Kong, often touted as Singapore's closest economic competitor, is regarded by 42 per cent of the Americans polled to be the next big player in the global economy, according to the Harris poll, which is a household name in the United States and Europe.
Some 40 per cent of the 318 Hongkongers share the view, the same number as in China and India. The percentages for South Korea fall between 26 and 31 per cent, while those for Taiwan are 13 and 35 per cent.
'Seven in 10 Singaporeans are optimistic about their own economy, with 46 per cent seeing themselves take centre stage as the next big player in the global economy,' says Harris Interactive, the New York-based market research firm that did the poll.
'They also see themselves very much as part of a larger ecosystem: 70 per cent of Singaporeans think that India's growth is good for their economy, and 78 per cent say the same about China's growth,' it says in a press statement.
Probably based on their own experience, Singaporeans also think the critical factors for growth are proper infrastructure (35 per cent) and good country leadership (43 per cent).
Singapore also got the most mentions from Chinese, Indians, Singaporeans and Hongkongers as the country with the ideal economy to live in.
Almost half - 48 per cent - of the 308 adults polled in these countries say so, against 25 per cent for China.
Adults polled are virtually in agreement that the US is the most powerful country in the world, economically and militarily.
That's the view of over 70 per cent of those polled, except the Indians; only 58 per cent of the latter look up to the US as the most powerful country today.
But most - excluding the Americans themselves - see the US weakening. Just 7 per cent of the non-Americans polled think the US will still be the most powerful country in 2020. Only 6 per cent of Singaporeans agree.
At least a third of the adults polled, including Americans, see China as the next most powerful country. 'China seems to have a much more aggressive picture of their ability to sustain economic growth, with 53 per cent Chinese indicating that they believe they will be the most powerful economy in 2050 versus 35 per cent of Indians who believe the same about their own economy,' says Harris.
To sustain growth, the Chinese believe free and open trade (39 per cent) and a growing consumer market (39 per cent) are most critical, opinions shared by Hongkongers.