Singapore "THE BROWN BOOK" Master plan

 'A Life-and-death Matter': How Israel Helped Singapore When It Needed It Most.

● Tel Avil,  The Israeli Declaration of Independence, formally the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, was proclaimed on 14th May 1948 by David Ben-Gurion, the Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, and later first Prime Minister of Israel.

( 17 years later )

■On 9th August 1965, Singapore separated from Malaysia to become an independent and sovereign state. The written history of Singapore dates back to the third century. Evidence suggest a significant trading settlement existed in Singapore during the 14th century. In the late 14th century, Singapura was under the rule of Parameswara until he was expelled by the Majapahit or the Siamese.

It then came under the Malacca Sultanate and then the Johor Sultanate. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles negotiated a treaty whereby Johor allowed the British to found a trading port on the island. During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. When the war ended, Singapore reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963. But social unrest and disputes between Singapore's ruling People's Action Party and Malaysia's Alliance Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia. Singapore became an independent republic on August 9, 1965.

Singapore and Israel share 'a certain kindred spirit,' both small nations having to survive under difficult odds and surrounded by Muslim-majority countries. Israel is surrounded by Egypt,  Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon . Singapore is surrounded by Malaysia and Indonesia. 

" THE BROWN BOOK " 

In the chaos of the historic Six-Day war between Israel and its Arab neighbours in 1967, a battle that would reshape the entire Middle East, unexpected spectators stood miles away in the island nation of Singapore. Amidst the clashing forces and the whirlwind of conflict, Singapore's leaders were not  just passive observers; they were invested in a particular outcome.

They were silently rooting for Israel to emerge victorious. But what could this seemingly distant war possibly have to do with a tiny South East Asian nation like Singapore? Join us as we uncover this mystery and its lasting impact on a nation striving to find its place on the world stage after gaining independence.  

Let's first step back to 9th August, 1965, when Singapore was expelled from Malaysia. At that time, the odds seemed stacked against this young nation that gained independence against its will.

The divorce from Malaysia was abrupt and unwanted, leaving Singapore without its essential economic support.  

 To add to the predicament, the remnants of a recent communist insurgency still lingered in the air. Amid this chaos, President Soekarno's Indonesia was locking horns in a fierce military confrontation, also known as the Konfrontasi, branding Malaysia as a "neo-colonialist" construct. In the crosshairs of this conflict, Singapore found itself in the thick of it. To make matters more pressing, the Vietnam War was gaining momentum, casting an ominous shadow over the region. These early days of independence for Singapore were far from ideal. 

It was a precarious state of affairs that left Singapore's government with no choice but to swiftly establish a credible and independent defence capability.

From day one, this became an existential priority. However, Singapore's defence setup post-independence was far from impressive.

 Its military comprised of just two under-strength infantry battalions, with more than half of their soldiers made up of Malaysians who were given the option to either stay in Singapore or return home in Peninsula Malaysia.   Unsurprisingly, most Malaysians chose to leave.  Left with only a handful of Singaporean ancillary units after most of the Malaysians departed, the city-state's military force was as minuscule as it could be.  The military's arsenal was modest at best - a dilapidated wooden gunboat - and not even a single aircraft to call their own.

It was clear that Singapore had a long and arduous journey ahead in building up a robust defence force from practically nothing. But that's not all!

While the British maintained a significant military presence in Singapore and Malaysia, winds of change were stirring in London. Pressure was mounting on the British to scale back their military presence in the region and they were eying an exit strategy.

Singapore had to come to terms with the possibility that the British might withdraw their military support at some point.

This realization added yet another layer of urgency to Singapore's need for self-reliance.

In the midst of this tumult, Singapore's founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, didn't mince words.

He famously used the analogy of Singapore having to be a "poisonous shrimp" in a world where big fish devoured the small, and the small preyed on the shrimp, alluding to the country's need to be a strong deterrent force in a world dominated by larger powers. Bold words, perhaps, but this notion set the tone for a defence strategy focused on deterrence that would shape Singapore's future. The urgency to strengthen Singapore's defence was undeniable, and so, Goh Keng Swee, serving as the Finance Minister, bravely stepped forward to face the challenge at hand.   However, his familiarity with military affairs was limited to his time as a corporal in the Singapore Volunteer Corps during the British rule before the Japanese invasion in 1942.

 Motivated by the imperative to strengthen Singapore's defence, Goh Keng Swee swiftly organized a small team to establish the new Ministry of Interior and Defense, which was later split into the Ministry of Défense and the Ministry of Home Affairs of today. 

9th December,  2019 : 

Unveiling the cover of the book, Beating the Odds Together: 50 Years of Singapore-Israel Ties, are (from left) Mr Sagi Karni, ambassador of Israel to Singapore; Mr George Yeo, Singapore's former foreign affairs minister;
Mr Bilahari Kausikan, former permanent secretary of foreign affairs; and Ms Michelle Teo, acting director of the Middle East Institute.

2. Take a moment to gather your thoughts.

 ( previous here )

New car? 新车？xīn-chē? 

How about that electric blue Tesla Model X ? 那辆蓝色的特斯拉 Model X 电动版怎么样？Nà liàng lán sè de tè sī lā Model X diàn-dòng bǎn zěn-me yàng?

Fourth,  take calculated risks. 第四，要计算风险。Dì sì, yào jì-suàn fēng-xiǎn.

No guts , no glory ! 没有勇气就没有荣耀！Méi-yǒu yǒng-qì jiù méi-yǒu róng-yào!

But don't be reckless. 但不要鲁莽。Dàn bù-yào lǔ-mǎng.

Do your homework, then leap like a boss. 做好你的功课，然后像老板一样飞跃。Zuò hǎo nǐ de gōng-kè, rán-hòu xiàng lǎo-bǎn yī-yàng fēi-yuè.

And hey, embrace failure. 嘿，接受失败吧。Hēi, jiē-shòu shī-bài ba.

Fail forward,  fail fast! 向前失败，快速失败！Xiàng qián shi bài, kuài-sù shī-bài!

Each stumble is a step closer to riches. 每一次跌倒都使你离致富更近一步。Měi yī-cì dié-dǎo dōu shǐ nǐ lí zhì-fù gèng jìn yī-bù.

Lastly, stay positive and persistent. 最后，保持积极和坚持 。Zuìhòu, bǎochí jījí hé jiānchí.

Rome wasn't built in one day, and neither is your empire. 罗马不是一天建成的，你的帝国也不是。Luó-mǎ bù-shì yī-tiān jiàn-chéng de, nǐ de dì-guó yě bù-shì.

Remember, wealth thinking is a lifestyle. 

请记住，财富思维是一种生活方式。Qǐng jì zhù, cái-fù sī-wéi shì yī zhǒng shēng-huó fāng-shì.

Start today,  and watch your future self hi-five you ! 从今天开始，看着未来的自己和你击掌！Cóng jīn-tiān kāi-shǐ, kàn-zhe wèi-lái de zì-jǐ hé nǐ jī-zhǎng!

God's Characters Displayed

 1. Truthfulness . God gives His word, and He is true to His word.

2.  Purity and holiness  . God is against sin. Sin is unbelieve what God said. God's holiness towards sin is judgment is punishment. 

3. Mercy . God's mercy rewrote the humanity's life. His mercy and His grace in sparing the family of Noah to preserve the human race and to preserve life on the earth.

4. Goodness . All God's creations are good for humanity's existence. Only God is good in all His goodness. 

God's character is seen in the Book of Genesis in a variety of ways. For example, early on in the Book of Genesis, His truthfulness is displayed. When Adam and Eve are put in the Garden to rule and have dominion over it, He gives them a command not to eat from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." We read the story, we know that Adam and Eve were tempted to eat from it and they did. God had promised that if they did eat from that tree that they would surely die, and we know from the Book of Genesis that later on Adam and Eve did die. So, God gives His word, and He is true to His word.

We also see a picture of God's purity and holiness brought forth from the Book of Genesis. God is against sin. In the Book of Genesis, we read about a spiraling out of control of man's sinfulness and wickedness in the world to the degree that God purposes to bring about judgment, and this will be a global judgment when he brings a great flood on the earth. And so in that flood, he wipes out all of humanity with the exception of Noah's family and the other animal life that's preserved in the ark. So we get a display of God's holiness towards sin in that story.

Now in both those stories, we also get a sampling of God's mercy. We see that when Adam and Eve have sinned and they become aware of their nakedness, God does not completely abandon them, but He provides covering for them, so He shows them mercy in this respect. And also in the flood story, while God is angry with sin while he purposes to bring His wrath upon humanity, at the same time He demonstrates His mercy and His grace in sparing the family of Noah to preserve the human race and to preserve life on the earth.

One last example of God's character in Genesis would be His goodness, and this is seen at the outset of Genesis when God creates all of life. He creates the heavens and the earth, and on this earth, he creates animal life, plant life. And at the pinnacle of this creation, He creates man and woman. He creates Adam and Eve, and to Adam and Eve, He gives the stewardship of all of the creation. So, He's created this beautiful earth He's created all of His life, and to man and woman, He gives this privilege, this honor to rule, to subdue, to have dominion over all the life that is present there. And this is an example of His goodness towards us.

彰显上帝的品格

Zhāngxiǎn shàngdì de pǐngé

1. 真实。神赐下他的话语，他信守他的话语。

Zhēnshí. Shén cì xià tā dehuàyǔ, tā xìnshǒu tā de huàyǔ.

2. 纯洁和圣洁。神反对罪恶。罪就是不信神的话。神对罪的圣洁就是审判和惩罚。

Chúnjié hé shèngjié. Shén fǎnduì zuì'è. Zuì jiùshì bùxìn shén de huà. Shén duì zuì de shèngjié jiùshì shěnpàn hé chéngfá.

3. 怜悯。神的怜悯改写了人类的生活。他的怜悯和恩典饶恕了诺亚一家，以保护人类和地球上的生命。

Liánmǐn. Shén de liánmǐn gǎixiěle rénlèi de shēnghuó. Tā de liánmǐn hé ēndiǎn ráoshùle nuò yǎ yījiā, yǐ bǎohù rénlèi hé dìqiú shàng de shēngmìng.

4. 善良。神所有的创造都对人类的生存有益。只有神才是善良的。

Shànliáng. Shén suǒyǒu de chuàngzào dōu duì rénlèi de shēngcún yǒuyì. Zhǐyǒu shén cái shì shànliáng de.

《创世记》以多种方式展现了上帝的性格。例如，在《创世记》的开头，上帝的诚实就得到了展现。当亚当和夏娃被安置在伊甸园统治和统治它时，上帝命令他们不要吃“善恶树”上的果子。我们读过这个故事，我们知道亚当和夏娃受到诱惑要吃那棵树上的果子，他们也确实吃了。上帝曾承诺，如果他们真的“吃”了“那棵树”上的果子，他们必死无疑，我们从《创世记》中知道，后来亚当和夏娃确实死了。所以，上帝说出了他的诺言，他信守诺言。

“Chuàngshìjì” yǐ duō zhǒng fāngshì zhǎnxiànle shàngdì dì xìnggé. Lìrú, zài “chuàngshìjì” de kāitóu, shàngdì de chéngshí jiù dédàole zhǎnxiàn. Dāng yàdāng hé xiàwá bèi ānzhì zài yīdiànyuán tǒngzhì hé tǒngzhì tā shí, shàngdì mìnglìng tāmen bùyào chī “shàn è shù” shàng de guǒzi. Wǒmen dúguò zhège gùshì, wǒmen zhīdào yàdāng hé xiàwá shòudào yòuhuò yào chī nà kē shù shàng de guǒzi, tāmen yě quèshí chīle. Shàngdì céng chéngnuò, rúguǒ tāmen zhēn de “chī”le “nà kē shù” shàng de guǒzi, tāmen bìsǐ wúyí, wǒmen cóng “chuàng shì jì” zhōng zhīdào, hòulái yàdāng hé xiàwá quèshí sǐle. Suǒyǐ, shàngdì shuō chūle tā de nuòyán, tā xìnshǒu nuòyán.

我们还从《创世记》中看到了上帝纯洁和神圣的画面。上帝反对罪恶。在《创世记》中，我们读到，人类的罪恶和邪恶在世界上失控，以至于上帝打算进行审判，当他给地球带来大洪水时，这将是一场全球性的审判。 因此，在那场洪水中，他消灭了所有人类，只留下诺亚一家和方舟中保存下来的其他动物。因此，我们从这个故事中看到了上帝对罪的圣洁。

Wǒmen hái cóng “chuàng shì jì” zhòng kàn dàole shàngdì chúnjié hé shénshèng de huàmiàn. Shàngdì fǎnduì zuì'è. Zài “chuàng shì jì” zhōng, wǒmen dú dào, rénlèi de zuì'è hé xié'è zài shìjiè shàng shīkòng, yǐ zhìyú shàngdì dǎsuàn jìnxíng shěnpàn, dāng tā gěi dìqiú dài lái dà hóngshuǐ shí, zhè jiāng shì yī chǎng quánqiú xìng de shěnpàn. Yīncǐ, zài nà chǎng hóngshuǐ zhōng, tā xiāomièle suǒyǒu rénlèi, zhǐ liú xià nuò yǎ yījiā hé fāngzhōu zhōng bǎocún xiàlái de qítā dòngwù. Yīncǐ, wǒmen cóng zhège gùshì zhòng kàn dàole shàngdì duì zuì de shèngjié.

现在，在这两个故事中，我们也看到了上帝的仁慈。我们看到，当亚当和夏娃犯了罪，他们意识到自己的赤身裸体时，上帝并没有完全抛弃他们，而是为他们提供了遮盖，所以他在这方面向他们展示了仁慈。同样在洪水故事中，虽然上帝对罪感到愤怒，并打算将他的愤怒降临到人类身上，但与此同时，他却表现出他的仁慈和恩典，饶恕了诺亚一家，以保护人类和地球上的生命。

Xiànzài, zài zhè liǎng gè gùshì zhōng, wǒmen yě kàn dàole shàngdì de réncí. Wǒmen kàn dào, dāng yàdāng hé xiàwá fànle zuì, tāmen yìshí dào zìjǐ de chìshēn luǒtǐ shí, shàngdì bìng méiyǒu wánquán pāoqì tāmen, ér shì wèi tāmen tígōngle zhēgài, suǒyǐ tā zài zhè fāngmiàn xiàng tāmen zhǎnshìle réncí. Tóngyàng zài hóngshuǐ gùshì zhōng, suīrán shàngdì duì zuì gǎndào fènnù, bìng dǎsuàn jiāng tā de fènnù jiànglín dào rénlèi shēnshang, dàn yǔ cǐ tóngshí, tā què biǎoxiàn chū tā de réncí hé ēndiǎn, ráoshùle nuò yǎ yījiā, yǐ bǎohù rénlèi hé dìqiú shàng de shēngmìng.

创世纪中上帝性格的最后一个例子是他的善良，这在创世纪的开头就体现出来了，当时上帝创造了所有的生命。他创造了天地，在这个地球上，他创造了动物和植物。 在创造的顶峰，他创造了男人和女人。他创造了亚当和夏娃，他将一切创造物的管理权交给了亚当和夏娃。所以，他创造了这个美丽的地球，他用他的一生创造了地球，他给了男人和女人这种特权和荣誉，让他们统治、征服、统领那里的所有生命。这是他对我们的善意的一个例子。

Chuàng shì jì zhōng shàngdì xìnggé de zuìhòu yīgè lìzi shì tā de shànliáng, zhè zài chuàng shì jì de kāitóu jiù tǐxiàn chūláile, dāngshí shàngdì chuàngzàole suǒyǒu de shēngmìng. Tā chuàngzàole tiāndì, zài zhège dìqiú shàng, tā chuàngzàole dòngwù hé zhíwù. Zài chuàngzào de dǐngfēng, tā chuàngzàole nánrén hé nǚrén. Tā chuàngzàole yàdāng hé xiàwá, tā jiāng yīqiè chuàngzào wù de guǎnlǐ quán jiāo gěile yàdāng hé xiàwá. Suǒyǐ, tā chuàngzàole zhège měilì dì dìqiú, tā yòng tā de yīshēng chuàngzàole dìqiú, tā gěile nánrén hé nǚrén zhè zhǒng tèquán hé róngyù, ràng tāmen tǒngzhì, zhēngfú, tǒnglǐng nàlǐ de suǒyǒu shēngmìng. Zhè shì tā duì wǒmen de shànyì de yīgè lìzi.

(Français)

Les personnages de Dieu mis en évidence

1. Véracité . Dieu donne sa parole et il est fidèle à sa parole.

2.  Pureté et sainteté . Dieu est contre le péché. Le péché, c'est ne pas croire ce que Dieu dit. La sainteté de Dieu envers le péché, c'est le jugement, c'est la punition. 

3. Miséricorde . La miséricorde de Dieu a réécrit la vie de l'humanité. Sa miséricorde et sa grâce en épargnant la famille de Noé pour préserver la race humaine et pour préserver la vie sur terre.

4. Bonté . Toutes les créations de Dieu sont bonnes pour l'existence de l'humanité. Seul Dieu est bon dans toute sa bonté. 

Le caractère de Dieu est présenté de diverses manières dans le livre de la Genèse. Par exemple, au début du livre de la Genèse, Sa véracité est démontrée. Quand Adam et Ève sont placés dans le jardin pour le gouverner et le dominer, Il leur donne l’ordre de ne pas manger de « l’arbre de la connaissance du bien et du mal ». Nous lisons l’histoire, nous savons qu’Adam et Ève ont été tentés d’en manger, et ils l’ont fait. Dieu avait promis que s’ils « mangeaient » de « cet arbre », ils mourraient certainement, et nous savons d’après le livre de la Genèse que plus tard, Adam et Ève sont morts. Ainsi, Dieu donne Sa parole, et Il est fidèle à Sa parole. 

Nous voyons également une image de la pureté et de la sainteté de Dieu tirée du livre de la Genèse. Dieu est contre le péché. Dans le livre de la Genèse, nous lisons que la méchanceté et la nature pécheresse de l’homme échappent à tout contrôle dans le monde, à tel point que Dieu a l’intention d’apporter un jugement, et ce sera un jugement mondial lorsqu’il fera venir un grand déluge sur la terre. Ainsi, dans ce déluge, Dieu anéantit toute l’humanité, à l’exception de la famille de Noé et des autres animaux qui sont préservés dans l’arche. Nous voyons donc dans cette histoire une démonstration de la sainteté de Dieu envers le péché. 

Dans ces deux histoires, nous voyons aussi un échantillon de la miséricorde de Dieu. Nous voyons que lorsqu’Adam et Ève ont péché et qu’ils prennent conscience de leur nudité, Dieu ne les abandonne pas complètement, mais Il les couvre, donc Il leur montre de la miséricorde à cet égard. Et aussi dans l’histoire du déluge, alors que Dieu est en colère contre le péché alors qu’il a l’intention d’attirer sa colère sur l’humanité, en même temps Il démontre Sa miséricorde et Sa grâce en épargnant la famille de Noé pour préserver la race humaine et pour préserver la vie sur terre. 

Un dernier exemple du caractère de Dieu dans la Genèse serait Sa bonté, et cela se voit au début de la Genèse lorsque Dieu crée toute vie. Il crée les cieux et la terre, et sur cette terre, il crée la vie animale et la vie végétale. Et au sommet de cette création, Il crée l'homme et la femme. Il crée Adam et Eve, et à Adam et Eve, Il donne la responsabilité de toute la création. Il a donc créé cette belle terre, Il a créé toute Sa vie, et à l'homme et à la femme, Il donne ce privilège, cet honneur de régner, de soumettre, de dominer toute la vie qui y est présente. C'est un exemple de Sa bonté envers nous.

(Deutsch)

Gottes Charaktere dargestellt

1. Wahrhaftigkeit. Gott gibt sein Wort und er steht zu seinem Wort.

2. Reinheit und Heiligkeit. Gott ist gegen die Sünde. Sünde ist, nicht zu glauben, was Gott gesagt hat. Gottes Heiligkeit gegenüber der Sünde ist Urteil, ist Strafe.

3. Barmherzigkeit. Gottes Barmherzigkeit hat das Leben der Menschheit neu geschrieben. Seine Barmherzigkeit und Gnade verschonten die Familie Noahs, um die Menschheit und das Leben auf der Erde zu bewahren.

4. Güte. Alle Schöpfungen Gottes sind gut für die Existenz der Menschheit. Nur Gott ist in all seiner Güte gut.

Gottes Charakter wird im Buch Genesis auf verschiedene Weise dargestellt. So wird beispielsweise seine Wahrhaftigkeit schon früh im Buch Genesis gezeigt. Als Adam und Eva in den Garten geschickt werden, um dort zu herrschen und zu herrschen, gibt er ihnen das Gebot, nicht vom „Baum der Erkenntnis von Gut und Böse“ zu essen. Wir lesen die Geschichte und wissen, dass Adam und Eva versucht waren, davon zu essen, und sie taten es. Gott hatte versprochen, dass sie mit Sicherheit sterben würden, wenn sie von „diesem Baum“ „essen“, und wir wissen aus dem Buch Genesis, dass Adam und Eva später tatsächlich starben. Gott gibt also sein Wort und er steht zu seinem Wort.

Wir sehen auch ein Bild von Gottes Reinheit und Heiligkeit, das im Buch Genesis hervorgeht. Gott ist gegen die Sünde. Im Buch Genesis lesen wir von einer Spirale, in der die Sündhaftigkeit und Schlechtigkeit des Menschen in der Welt außer Kontrolle gerät, und zwar in einem Ausmaß, dass Gott ein Gericht herbeiführen will, und dies wird ein weltweites Gericht sein, wenn er eine große Flut über die Erde bringt. Und so löscht er in dieser Flut die gesamte Menschheit aus, mit Ausnahme von Noahs Familie und dem anderen Tierleben, das in der Arche gerettet wurde. In dieser Geschichte wird also Gottes Heiligkeit gegenüber der Sünde gezeigt.

In beiden Geschichten erhalten wir auch eine Kostprobe von Gottes Barmherzigkeit. Wir sehen, dass Gott Adam und Eva, als sie gesündigt haben und sich ihrer Nacktheit bewusst werden, nicht völlig im Stich lässt, sondern ihnen Schutz bietet und ihnen in dieser Hinsicht Barmherzigkeit erweist. Und auch in der Flutgeschichte ist Gott zwar wütend über die Sünde und beabsichtigt, seinen Zorn über die Menschheit zu bringen, aber gleichzeitig zeigt er seine Barmherzigkeit und Gnade, indem er die Familie Noahs verschont, um die Menschheit und das Leben auf der Erde zu bewahren.

Ein letztes Beispiel für Gottes Charakter in der Genesis wäre seine Güte, und diese wird zu Beginn der Genesis sichtbar, als Gott alles Leben erschafft. Er erschafft Himmel und Erde und auf dieser Erde erschafft er Tier- und Pflanzenleben. Und als Höhepunkt dieser Schöpfung erschafft er Mann und Frau. Er erschafft Adam und Eva, und Adam und Eva überträgt er die Verantwortung für die gesamte Schöpfung. Er hat also diese wunderschöne Erde erschaffen, er hat sein ganzes Leben lang erschaffen, und Mann und Frau gibt er dieses Privileg, diese Ehre, zu herrschen, zu unterwerfen, über alles Leben dort zu herrschen. Dies ist ein Beispiel seiner Güte uns gegenüber.

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●Valid at all Costco locations worldwide

●Annual 2% Reward on qualified Costco purchases (terms and conditions apply)

●Additional benefits and greater savings on Costco Services

●Extra benefits on select Costco Travel products

Business Membership:

●$65.00 Annual membership fee*

●Includes a free Household Card

●Add Affiliate Cardholders for $65 each*

●Valid at all Costco locations worldwide

●Purchase for resale

●Business Members must provide Costco with the appropriate resale information

Gold Star Membership:

●$65.00 Annual membership fee*

●Includes a free Household Card

●Valid at all Costco locations worldwide

You can find more details on each type of membership and even sign up right here. Please keep in mind that the Costco double guarantee applies to all membership levels. That means we guarantee both your membership and our products with a refund†, if they don’t meet your satisfaction. 

*Plus applicable sales tax. 

†Limitations apply. See the membership counter or Costco.com for details.

As of August 2023, Costco has 859 locations worldwide, with 591 in the U.S.A and 268 in other countries.

Visualizing the Number of Costco Stores, by Country 

Number of Costco stores globally

Visualizing Costco’s Global Presence

Costco is a membership-based retail chain founded in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Best known for its unique warehouse stores and high-quality products, Costco offers everything from electronics to groceries.

Since its founding, Costco has become a major retailer in the U.S., while also greatly expanding its international presence. As of August 2023, the company has 859 locations globally, with a split of 69% domestic (591 stores) and 31% international (268 stores).

Number of Costco Stores Worldwide

The following table lists the number of Costco stores by country, as of Aug. 17, 2023.

Country Number of locations

🇺🇸 U.S. 591

🇨🇦 Canada 107

🇲🇽 Mexico 40

🇯🇵 Japan 32

🇬🇧 UK 29

🇰🇷 Korea 18

🇦🇺 Australia 15

🇹🇼 Taiwan 14

🇪🇸 Spain 4

🇨🇳 China 4

🇫🇷 France 2

🇮🇸 Iceland 1

🇳🇿 New Zealand 1

🇸🇪 Sweden 1

Total 859

From this data we can see that Costco’s biggest non-U.S. markets are Canada, Mexico, and Japan.

In fact, Costco’s first non-U.S. location was opened near Vancouver, British Columbia in 1985. The company expanded to Mexico several years later in 1992, and then Japan in 1999.

Costco has recently turned its attention to China, opening four stores in areas around Shanghai since 2019. Reception was overwhelmingly positive—as CNBC reported, massive crowds at the grand opening of Costco’s first store forced an early closure. The company is planning to grow its Chinese presence even further, with new locations planned for Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Nanjing.

For context, Costco is hardly the first U.S. retail chain to break into the Chinese market. Walmart first expanded to China in 1996 with a store in Shenzhen, and as of January 2023, operates 365 stores in the country.

The Sweden and New Zealand locations both opened in 2022, showing that Costco’s international expansion is still very much underway.

Number of Costco Stores by State

Focusing on the U.S., here are the number of locations in each state.

State Number of Stores

California 134

Texas 38

Washington 33

Florida 31

Illinois 23

New Jersey 21

Arizona 20

New York 19

Georgia 17

Virginia 17

Michigan 16

Colorado 16

Utah 14

Oregon 13

Minnesota 13

Ohio 13

Maryland 11

Pennsylvania 11

Wisconsin 10

North Carolina 10

Missouri 9

Connecticut 8

Nevada 8

Indiana 8

Hawaii 7

Idaho 7

Massachusetts 6

South Carolina 6

Tennessee 6

Montana 6

Puerto Rico 5

Alabama 4

Oklahoma 4

Alaska 4

Iowa 4

Kentucky 4

Louisiana 3

Nebraska 3

New Mexico 3

Kansas 3

North Dakota 2

Arkansas 1

Mississippi 1

South Dakota 1

Delaware 1 

District of Columbia 1

Vermont 1

New Hampshire 1

Maine 0

Rhode Island 0

West Virginia 0

Wyoming 0

The United States currently has 50 states

America’s most populous state, California, leads the nation with 134 locations (23% of total). This is likely due to Costco’s business strategy, which relies more on membership fees and sales volume rather than high markups on products. According to analysis by Forbes, the average markup at Costco is estimated to be 11%, while at Walmart it stands at 24%.

This may explain why Maine, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming do not have any Costco locations. Most of these states are relatively low in population density, with the exception of Rhode Island which is very small geographically.

Note: According to local news sources, Maine is set to receive its first Costco location later in 2023.

Local Adaptations

While Costco locations in the U.S. often take the form of a traditional warehouse with ample surface level parking, some stores in other countries break from that formula.

In the Santa Fe neighborhood of Mexico City, the retail space and parking of the Costco lies below ground, while the roof of the building acts as an extension to the adjacent park, featuring sports fields and a green roof.

Vancouver, Canada, is home to an urban Costco, which blends into its high density surroundings and is capped by multiple condo towers.

While the price of the company’s famous hot dog and soda combo may stay the same, the company continues to adapt to changing preferences and new locales.

Search

Visual Capitalist

Visualizing the Number of Costco Stores, by Country

• 
  

•  

Visualizing Costco’s Global Presence

Costco is a membership-based retail chain founded in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Best known for its unique warehouse stores and high-quality products, Costco offers everything from electronics to groceries.

Since its founding, Costco has become a major retailer in the U.S., while also greatly expanding its international presence. As of August 2023, the company has 859 locations globally, with a split of 69% domestic (591 stores) and 31% international (268 stores).

In this graphic, we’ve visualized Costco’s global presence with a treemap diagram.

Number of Costco Stores Worldwide

The following table lists the number of Costco stores by country, as of Aug. 17, 2023.

Country	Number of locations
🇺🇸 U.S.	591
🇨🇦 Canada	107
🇲🇽 Mexico	40
🇯🇵 Japan	32
🇬🇧 UK	29
🇰🇷 Korea	18
🇦🇺 Australia	15
🇹🇼 Taiwan	14
🇪🇸 Spain	4
🇨🇳 China	4
🇫🇷 France	2
🇮🇸 Iceland	1
🇳🇿 New Zealand	1
🇸🇪 Sweden	1
Total	859

From this data we can see that Costco’s biggest non-U.S. markets are Canada, Mexico, and Japan.

In fact, Costco’s first non-U.S. location was opened near Vancouver, British Columbia in 1985. The company expanded to Mexico several years later in 1992, and then Japan in 1999.

Costco has recently turned its attention to China, opening four stores in areas around Shanghai since 2019. Reception was overwhelmingly positive—as CNBC reported, massive crowds at the grand opening of Costco’s first store forced an early closure. The company is planning to grow its Chinese presence even further, with new locations planned for Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Nanjing.

For context, Costco is hardly the first U.S. retail chain to break into the Chinese market. Walmart first expanded to China in 1996 with a store in Shenzhen, and as of January 2023, operates 365 stores in the country.

The Sweden and New Zealand locations both opened in 2022, showing that Costco’s international expansion is still very much underway.

Number of Costco Stores by State

Focusing on the U.S., here are the number of locations in each state.

Search:

State	Number of Stores
California	134
Texas	38
Washington	33
Florida	31
Illinois	23
New Jersey	21
Arizona	20
New York	19
Georgia	17
Virginia	17
Michigan	16
Colorado	16
Utah	14
Oregon	13
Minnesota	13

Showing 1 to 15 of 52 entries

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America’s most populous state, California, leads the nation with 134 locations (23% of total). This is likely due to Costco’s business strategy, which relies more on membership fees and sales volume rather than high markups on products. According to analysis by Forbes, the average markup at Costco is estimated to be 11%, while at Walmart it stands at 24%.

This may explain why Maine, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wyoming do not have any Costco locations. Most of these states are relatively low in population density, with the exception of Rhode Island which is very small geographically.

Editor’s note: According to local news sources, Maine is set to receive its first Costco location later in 2023.

Local Adaptations

While Costco locations in the U.S. often take the form of a traditional warehouse with ample surface level parking, some stores in other countries break from that formula.

In the Santa Fe neighborhood of Mexico City, the retail space and parking of the Costco lies below ground, while the roof of the building acts as an extension to the adjacent park, featuring sports fields and a green roof.

Vancouver, Canada, is home to an urban Costco, which blends into its high density surroundings and is capped by multiple condo towers.

While the price of the company’s famous hot dog and soda combo may stay the same, the company continues to adapt to changing preferences and new locales.

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•  United States(expand to select country/region)

Why Costco

Careers

Our Values

Resources for Applying

Costco Careers Homepage

Costco Jo

Be valued,
We promote
from within.

Did You Know?

Costco Wholesale is a multi-billion 

dollar global retailer with warehouse 

club operations in eight countries. 

We are the recognized leader in our 

field, dedicated to quality in every 

area of our business and respected 

for our outstanding business ethics. 

Despite our large size and explosive 

international expansion, we 

continue to provide a family 

atmosphere in which our 

employees thrive and succeed. We 

are proud to have been named by 

Washington CEO Magazine as one 

of the top three companies to work 

for in the state of Washington.

---

What Is Costco?

Costco is a membership warehouse 

club, dedicated to bringing our 

members the best possible prices 

on quality brand-name merchandise. 

With hundreds of locations world

-wide, Costco provides a wide 

selection of merchandise, plus the 

convenience of specialty 

departments and exclusive member 

services, all designed to make your 

shopping experience a pleasurable 

one.

---

The History of Costco

The company's first location, opened 

in 1976 under the Price Club name, 

was in a converted airplane hangar 

on Morena Boulevard in San Diego. 

Originally serving only small 

businesses, the company found it 

could achieve far greater buying 

clout by also serving a selected 

audience of non-business members. 

With that change, the growth of the 

warehouse club industry was off 

and running. In 1983, the first 

Costco warehouse location was 

opened in Seattle. Costco became 

the first company ever to grow from 

zero to USD$3 billion in sales in less 

than six years. When Costco and 

Price Club merged in 1993, the 

combined company, operating under 

the name PriceCostco, had 206 

locations generating $16 billion in 

annual sales.

Our operating philosophy has been 

simple. Keep costs down and pass 

the savings on to our members. Our 

large membership base and 

tremendous buying power, 

combined with our never-ending 

quest for efficiency, result in the best 

possible prices for our members. 

Since resuming the Costco name in 

1997, the company has grown world

-wide with total sales in recent fiscal 

years exceeding $64 billion. 

Costco has transformed the retail 

world. When entrepreneur Sol Price 

introduced a groundbreaking retail 

concept in San Diego, California. 

Price Club was the world's first 

membership warehouse club, a place 

where efficient buying and operating 

practices gave members access to 

unmatched savings.

At first, Price Club was limited 

exclusively to business members, 

who could purchase a wide range of 

supplies and wholesale items. Jim 

Sinegal, the executive vice-president 

of merchandising, distribution and 

marketing, was instrumental in fine-

tuning the merchandise and 

marketing strategies, helping to turn 

Price Club into a success story that 

changed the face of retailing world

-wide.

Seven years later, Jim Sinegal channel

-ed his expertise into co-founding 

Costco Wholesale with Jeff Brotman, 

and together they opened the first 

warehouse in Seattle, Washington in 

1983.

Over the next decade, both Price Club 

and Costco Wholesale continued to 

innovate and grow, and in 1993, the 

two mega-retailers merged, creating 

a gifted leadership team that soon 

made Costco the world's most 

successful warehouse club.

Today, as the company evolves, it 

stays true to the qualities that helped 

attract and retain millions of loyal 

members around the globe:

Commitment to quality. Costco ware-

houses carry about 4,000 SKUs (stock 

keeping units) compared to the 

30,000 found at most supermarkets. 

By carefully choosing products based 

on quality, price, brand, and features, 

the company can offer the best value 

to subscribed members.

Entrepreneurial spirit. Throughout the 

decades, the entrepreneurial drive for 

excellence has continued to define 

Costco staff at every level. From its 

management team to the people on 

the warehouse floor, everyone is 

united in a common goal to exceed 

member expectations.

Employee focus. Costco is often 

noted for being much more 

employee-focused than other 

Fortune 500 companies. By offering 

fair wages and top-notch benefits, 

the company has created a 

workplace culture that attracts 

positive, high-energy, 

talented employees.

Costco Wholesale Corporation 

Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 

Year 2023 Operating Results

Here 

https://investor.costco.com/news/news-details/2023/Costco-Wholesale-Corporation-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Fiscal-Year-2023-Operating-Results/?origin=serp_auto

Sept. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: COST) today announced its operating results for the 17-week fourth quarter and the 53-week fiscal year ended September 3, 2023.

Net sales for the 17-week fourth quarter were $77.43 billion, an increase of 9.4 percent from $70.76 billion in the 16-week fourth quarter last year. Net sales for the 53-week fiscal year were $237.71 billion, an increase of 6.7 percent from $222.73 billion in the 52-week fiscal year of 2022.

Comparable sales were as follows:

	17 Weeks		17 Weeks		53 Weeks		53 Weeks
			Adjusted*				Adjusted*
U.S.	0.2%		3.1%		3.3%		4.2%
Canada	1.8%		7.4%		1.7%		8.1%
Other International	5.5%		4.4%		2.8%		7.6%
Total Company	1.1%		3.8%		3.0%		5.2%
E-commerce	-0.8%		-0.6%		-5.7%		-4.8%

*Excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange.

Net income for the 17-week fourth quarter was $2.160 billion, $4.86 per diluted share, compared to $1.868 billion, $4.20 per diluted share, in the 16-week fourth quarter last year.

Net income for the 53-week fiscal year was $6.292 billion, $14.16 per diluted share, compared to $5.844 billion, $13.14 per diluted share, in the 52-week prior year.

Costco currently operates 861 warehouses, including 591 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 107 in Canada, 40 in Mexico, 33 in Japan, 29 in the United Kingdom, 18 in Korea, 15 in Australia, 14 in Taiwan, five in China, four in Spain, two in France, and one each in Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden. Costco also operates e-commerce sites in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia.

A conference call to discuss these results is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (PT) today, September 26, 2023, and will be available via a webcast on investor.costco.com (click “Events & Presentations”).

Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For these purposes, forward-looking statements are statements that address activities, events, conditions or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified because they contain words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events, results or performance to differ materially from those indicated by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, domestic and international economic conditions, including exchange rates, inflation or deflation, the effects of competition and regulation, uncertainties in the financial markets, consumer and small business spending patterns and debt levels, breaches of security or privacy of member or business information, conditions affecting the acquisition, development, ownership or use of real estate, capital spending, actions of vendors, rising costs associated with employees (generally including health-care costs), energy and certain commodities, geopolitical conditions (including tariffs and the Ukraine conflict), the ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting, regulatory and other impacts related to climate change, public-health related factors, and other risks identified from time to time in the Company’s public statements and reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not undertake to update these statements, except as required by law. Comparable sales and comparable sales excluding impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange are intended as supplemental information and are not a substitute for net sales presented in accordance with GAAP.

CONTACTS:	Costco Wholesale Corporation
	Richard Galanti, 425/313-8203
	David Sherwood, 425/313-8239
	Josh Dahmen, 425/313-8254

 

CO STCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(dollars in millions, except per share data)
(unaudited)

	17 Weeks Ended				16 Weeks Ended				53 Weeks Ended				52 Weeks Ended
	September 3, 2023				August 28, 2022				September 3, 2023				August 28, 2022
REVENUE
Net sales	$	77,430			$	70,764			$	237,710			$	222,730
Membership fees		1,509				1,327				4,580				4,224
Total revenue		78,939				72,091				242,290				226,954
OPERATING EXPENSES
Merchandise costs		69,219				63,558				212,586				199,382
Selling, general and administrative		6,939				6,036				21,590				19,779
Operating income		2,781				2,497				8,114				7,793
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Interest expense		(56	)			(48	)			(160	)			(158	)
Interest income and other, net		238				67				533				205
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES		2,963				2,516				8,487				7,840
Provision for income taxes		803				638				2,195				1,925
Net income including noncontrolling interests		2,160				1,878				6,292				5,915
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests		—				(10	)			—				(71	)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO COSTCO	$	2,160			$	1,868			$	6,292			$	5,844
NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO COSTCO:
Basic	$	4.87			$	4.21			$	14.18			$	13.17
Diluted	$	4.86			$	4.20			$	14.16			$	13.14
Shares used in calculation (000’s):
Basic		443,876				443,839				443,854				443,651
Diluted		444,445				444,655				444,452				444,757

CO STCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(amounts in millions, except par value and share data)
(unaudited)

Subject to Reclassification

			September 3, 2023				August 28, 2022
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents			$	13,700			$	10,203
Short-term investments				1,534				846
Receivables, net				2,285				2,241
Merchandise inventories				16,651				17,907
Other current assets				1,709				1,499
Total current assets				35,879				32,696
OTHER ASSETS
Property and equipment, net				26,684				24,646
Operating lease right-of-use assets				2,713				2,774
Other long-term assets				3,718				4,050
TOTAL ASSETS			$	68,994			$	64,166
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable			$	17,483			$	17,848
Accrued salaries and benefits				4,278				4,381
Accrued member rewards				2,150				1,911
Deferred membership fees				2,337				2,174
Current portion of long-term debt				1,081				73
Other current liabilities				6,254				5,611
Total current liabilities				33,583				31,998
OTHER LIABILITIES
Long-term debt, excluding current portion				5,377				6,484
Long-term operating lease liabilities				2,426				2,482
Other long-term liabilities				2,550				2,555
TOTAL LIABILITIES				43,936				43,519
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
EQUITY
Preferred stock $0.005 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding				—				—
Common stock $0.005 par value; 900,000,000 shares authorized; 442,793,000 and 442,664,000 shares issued and outstanding				2				2
Additional paid-in capital				7,340				6,884
Accumulated other comprehensive loss				(1,805	)			(1,829	)
Retained earnings				19,521				15,585
Total Costco stockholders’ equity				25,058				20,642
Noncontrolling interests				—				5
TOTAL EQUITY				25,058				20,647
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY			$	68,994			$	64,166

                          

CO STCO WHOLESALE CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(amounts in millions)
(unaudited)

Subject to Reclassification

	53 Weeks Ended				52 Weeks Ended
	September 3, 2023				August 28, 2022
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income including noncontrolling interests	$	6,292			$	5,915
Adjustments to reconcile net income including noncontrolling interests to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		2,077				1,900
Non-cash lease expense		412				377
Stock-based compensation		774				724
Other non-cash operating activities, net		495				39
Changes in working capital		1,018				(1,563	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		11,068				7,392
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchases of short-term investments		(1,622	)			(1,121	)
Maturities and sales of short-term investments		937				1,145
Additions to property and equipment		(4,323	)			(3,891	)
Other investing activities, net		36				(48	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(4,972	)			(3,915	)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Repayments of short-term borrowings		(935	)			(6	)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings		917				53
Repayments of long-term debt		(75	)			(800	)
Tax withholdings on stock-based awards		(303	)			(363	)
Repurchases of common stock		(676	)			(439	)
Cash dividend payments		(1,251	)			(1,498	)
Financing lease payments		(291	)			(176	)
Dividend to noncontrolling interest		—				(208	)
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest		—				(842	)
Other financing activities, net		—				(4	)
Net cash used in financing activities		(2,614	)			(4,283	)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS		15				(249	)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		3,497				(1,055	)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS BEGINNING OF YEAR		10,203				11,258
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS END OF YEAR	$	13,700			$	10,203

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