The former prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, is now called the minister mentor. He is indeed a great mentor to Singapore, as it is he who has led the nation to become one of the most affluent and most stable, disciplined societies in the world.
The designation of "mentor" is very symbolic. This is because Singapore state — where the Chinese make up the majority of the population and where the free-market principle and self-help philosophy have been in practice coupled with a tinge of political cautiousness — could be considered as a good model or at least, a beacon, for the future of China. In other words, Singapore might well demonstrate to China not only what China could achieve with pride but also the kind of possible troubles to expect in the years to come.
These achievements and troubles are associated with what one might call "Chineseness" or Chinese identity.