Deng visited Singapore in November 1978

Singapore did not inspire him because of its level of development. If that were his priority, many cities in Japan or the West would have impressed him more.

Singapore was special because it represented the achievement of an estranged relative. Nowhere else outside China was there a country with ethnic Chinese in its majority.

Lee Kuan Yew told him that if Singapore Chinese who were the descendants of poorly-educated coolies could make good, how much better mainland China could be if the right policies were adopted.

https://mothership.sg/2018/11/deng-xiaoping-singapore-china-george-yeo/