SINGAPORE: The Chinese Embassy in Singapore
on Friday (Jul 19) refuted a report alleging that Beijing has been
conducting influence operations in Singapore, calling it “absurd”.
The Jul 16 report, published by US research institute the Jamestown Foundation, said that “the fundamental purpose of Chinese propaganda and influence operations in Singapore is to impose a Chinese identity on Singapore”.
The report, titled A Preliminary Survey of CCP Influence Operations in Singapore, also claimed that China uses cultural organisations, clan associations, business associations, youth programmes and the Chinese-language media to reach out to different segments of Singaporeans.
It said that business associations act as the “most powerful lobby for Chinese interests” in Singapore, and that they have lobbied the Singapore Government on behalf of “pro-PRC positions”.
Singapore media, including the Straits Times, had reported on the analysis by the report's author Mr Russell Hsiao, who is the executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute....
The Jul 16 report, published by US research institute the Jamestown Foundation, said that “the fundamental purpose of Chinese propaganda and influence operations in Singapore is to impose a Chinese identity on Singapore”.
The report, titled A Preliminary Survey of CCP Influence Operations in Singapore, also claimed that China uses cultural organisations, clan associations, business associations, youth programmes and the Chinese-language media to reach out to different segments of Singaporeans.
It said that business associations act as the “most powerful lobby for Chinese interests” in Singapore, and that they have lobbied the Singapore Government on behalf of “pro-PRC positions”.
Singapore media, including the Straits Times, had reported on the analysis by the report's author Mr Russell Hsiao, who is the executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute....
Mr Hsiao wrote...
“Singapore’s government views identity as an existential issue, and is likely to resist CCP efforts to make inroads in this area.”
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/china-denies-influence-operations-singapore-russell-hsiao-11738044
“Singapore’s government views identity as an existential issue, and is likely to resist CCP efforts to make inroads in this area.”
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/china-denies-influence-operations-singapore-russell-hsiao-11738044
The above article is a clear case of foreigners, ie Americans and Taiwanese, attempting to influence the thinking of Singapore govt and sowing discord between Singapore and China. The question is whether such loaded one sided article would actually affect the thinking of the Singapore govt. My view is that if the leaders of Singapore is kosong in their heads, then such articles would have great influence on them, especially the banana thinking type and the WOGs. For these type of people, they believe their ancestry came from the West and are ashamed of being Asians/Chinese and would love to distance themselves from China and be seen as closed to China or even being Chinese.
And there are many instances and evidences to confirm that this is the case. The fear of being like China could be seen in their pro American and anti China rhetoric on international issues, particularly the South China Sea claims and the need to invite the rogue Americans to balance the influence of China in the region. And there is this eagerness to strengthen relations with India with the signing of CECA and increasing the presence of Indians in the island and offering many top appointments to Indians from India, in the commercial sector, in govt linked companies and in the academia.
Maybe the banana thinking politicians feel pressurised by the West and see the need to be more westernised, even Indianised, to be acceptable to the West. As a result, Singapore is becoming more westernised and Indianised to the extent that the majority and dominance of the Chinese is being questioned and challenged by the new citizens.
The govt's promotion of speak Mandarin and clan activities are a natural cultural thing but now increasingly seen as negative especially in the above reports. Chinese should not promote their own culture and be more Chinese. Even Mandarin, one of four official languages was frown upon and attacked by a minority in facebook, ridiculed. Speaking Mandarin is unacceptable, intolerable. The person making such a stand was not reprimanded for attacking an official language, as far as I know.
So, how far would the above article influence the thinking and policies of Singapore govt to become more anti China and anti Chinese? The fact that it received so much attention to be in print in the main media said it all. Would Singapore lose its Chineseness, the main driving force that built this island to what it is today and become more like another third world city run by third world inhabitants? Donald Trump said to the immigrants, "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places" before coming here to tell us what to do. All the major cities in Asia and SE Asia are built by Chinese stock entrepreneurs. Removing the Chinese stock or reducing their influence would have grave negative impact on the economy and infrastructure development of these cities.
The Chinese identity of Singapore is a plus factor. Do the bananas want to do away with it to embrace third world identity and spiral down to the abyss of the third world? Would the writer, Russell Hsiao think the Chinese identity in Taiwan is bad and should be replaced by third world identity?
What is the intent of publishing such article in the main media? Agree with the writer Russell Hsiao or disagree?