The article was written in 1993 where the author predicts the fall of Singapore government under one party system. It is now 2005 and it is still authoritarian. China is also quite different today than it was in 1993, so the article is basically worthless at this point.
As far as the economic freedom index, it basicallygrouoped China into the same group with India, so again, the point is moot whether India will suceed over China or not. Both are bureaucratic, but more so on the Indians as they have not allowed foreign direct investments. It would take a firm 40 days or so to open a company in China, it would take 90 days in India.
Again, the point is, democracy isn't the driving force for economic freedom in Singapore -- it's rule of law (number one priority) and corruption. It isn't on US hitlist of non-democratic/representative governments because it is pro-US. In other words, it's hypocritical for Rumsfeld to lecture any country in Singapore about democracy when the place that hosts the visit isn't a democracy either.
India has made reforms, the corrupt chicoms have gotten worse, and you know it! Rumsfeld isn't being a hypocrite. He's calling them out. (It's almost high noon.)He's telling the chicoms it's the last call to their act together. They aren't even trying. Just one stall after another. Congressional sanctions/tarifs are heading their way like a freight train.