Singaporeans — indignant as we are about some of the government's decisions — can't help but admire our first Prime Minister Mr. Lee Kuan Yew.
One doesn't expect a newly-formed city state with absolutely no resources to be rubbing shoulders with the world's super powers.
But Singapore's elder statesman was a man with astonishing nerve and charisma, and he almost single-handedly brought the country to the world's attention.
As the first PM from 1959 to 1990, then as Senior Minister and Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew fought tirelessly for his beloved Singapore's interests on a global stage.
In this photo essay, we track Mr. Lee Kuan Yew's meetings with world leaders over the last 30 years.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew (L) chatted with US President George H. W. Bush as they met at US ambassador's official residence in Tokyo on February 24, 1989 after they attended the funeral of Emperor Hirohito. Photo: Jerome Delay / AFP
French President Jacques Chirac (R) jokes with Singapore State Minister Lee Kuan Yew during a lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris on June 1, 1995. Photo: Pierre Bousell / AFP
Singapore State Minister Lee Kuan Yew ( L) chats with British Labour Party Leader and soon-to-be Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on June 5, 1995. Lee Kuan Yew is on a private visit to the UK. Photo: Johnny Eggitt / AFP
Chinese President Jiang Zemin (L) welcomes Singapore's senior minister Lee Kuan Yew for talks 08 December, 1997 at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound. Lee is in China on a thirteen day working visit to Beijing and a number of southern cities aimed at improving bilateral relations. Photo: Robyn Beck-Pool / AFP
South African President Nelson Mandela (L) and Singaporean Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew, laugh during their meeting at the Shangri La Hotel 05 March 1997. Mandela is here on a two-day official visit, the third of a Southeast Asian tour aimed at promoting closer economic ties with the booming region. Photo: AFP
Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew (L) shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister John Howard (R) at a meeting in Sydney 20 November 2000. Lee is in Australia to launch the second volume of his memoirs, 'From Third World to First World. The Singapore Story 1965-2000 traces Singapore's development from within the region and from a global perspective. Photo: William West / AFP
US President George W. Bush welcomes Senior Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew to the Oval Office for a meeting 01 May, 2002 at the White House in Washington, DC. Photo: Tim Sloan / AFP
Former US president Bill Clinton (L) with Singaporean Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew during a call at the Istana Presidential Palace in Singapore, 24 May 2002. Clinton said he is upbeat about Asia's prospects of recovery from economic downturn with South Korea and China in the lead. Photo: Roslan Rahman / AFP
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (R) welcomes Former Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew (L) at the Government House in Bangkok, 03 December 2004. Lee Kuan Yew is on four-day visit to Thailand. Photo: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul / AFP
Visiting Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew (R) meets with former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad at the latter's office in Putrajaya, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, 27 April 2005. Modern Singapore's founding father Lee puts his seal on warmer relations with neighbor Malaysia as he makes his first visit to the Malaysian capital since 2001, when ties were badly frayed. Photo: Bazuki Muhammad / AFP
Singaporean senior minister and former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew (L) and former Indonesian dictator Suharto wave to journalists after their meeting in Jakarta, 22 February 2006. Lee is in Indonesia on a four-day long official visit. Photo: Dewira / AFP
Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (R) chats with Singapore's city-state's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew during their meeting in Singapore 06 August 2006. Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said his government was working hard to improve his country's business climate as he sought to drum up more investment from Singapore. Photo: How Hwee Young / AFP
Philippine President Gloria Arroyo (L) and Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew smile during a reception for a symposium "The Future of Asia" at a Tokyo hotel 24 May 2007. Arroyo and Lee are now here to attend the symposium. Photo: Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP
Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew (L) meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a courtesy call at the premier's official residence in Tokyo, 25 May 2007. Lee is in Japan to attend the "Future of Asia" symposium by Asian leaders during his six-day trip. Photo: AFP
Minister Mentor of the Republic of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew (L) talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (R) during a meeting in New Delhi 02 November 2007. Lee Kuan Yew is on an official visit in India. Photo: Prakash Singh / AFP
British conservative party leader and future Prime Minister David Cameron (L) meets Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at his office in central London, on September 15, 2009. Photo: Shaun Curry / AFP
Picture taken on September 22, 2009 shows Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (R) meeting with Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew (L) outside Moscow in Novo-Ogarevo. The two held bilateral talks. Photo: Ria Novosti / Alexey Nikolsky / AFP
US President Barack Obama (R) speaks during a meeting with Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew October 29, 2009 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC. Photo: Mandel Ngan / AFP
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) shakes hands with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore as they give a press briefing before their meeting at the State Department in Washington on October 26, 2009. Photo: Jewel Samad / AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) meets with former Singaporean statesman Lee Kuan Yew (L) in Singapore on June 1, 2011. The stability of the eurozone is of "utmost importance" to Europe and Germany in dealing with the Greek financial crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Singapore. Photo: Roslan Rahman / AFP
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