On Reflection | What’s really making Beijing angry with Singapore?

The argument between Singapore’s ambassador to China and the editor-in-chief of the nationalistic Chinese tabloid Global Times is less about specific actions and deeds as it is about Beijing’s growing disappointment with the tiny Asian city-state.

Until recently, the two nations – which share deep ethnic and cultural bonds – had enjoyed what was often described as a special relationship. This was manifest most clearly in two recent events – China’s rare high-profile treatment of the death of Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew in March last year and Singapore’s hosting of the historic meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping ( 習近平 ) and his Taiwanese counterpart Ma Ying-jeou last November.

But since then, mistrust has grown, spurred by the escalating rivalry between China and the United States and the landmark ruling by The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on July 12 denying Chinese claims to huge swathes of the South China Sea.

The Global Times, which is affiliated to People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, reported on September 21 that Singapore wanted to include the Philippines’ position on The Hague arbitration ruling on the final communique issued by the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Venezuela this month.

Troubled waters: Beijing’s ‘anger’ lurks beneath surface of Singapore-Global Times South China Sea row

But Stanley Loh, Singapore’s envoy to China, rejected the Global Times report, issuing two open letters to the newspaper’s editor-in-chief Hu Xijin this week.