China’s embassy in Singapore slams ‘lies’ after US report of influence operations
- Embassy spokesman said report designed to ‘alienate the friendship’ of China and Singapore
- US think tank report said Beijing uses propaganda to promote a ‘greater China’ narrative ‘irrespective of nationality’
China’s embassy in Singapore has slammed a report by a US-based scholar which alleged that Beijing was imposing its Chinese identity on the city state through influence operations.
Such operations were conducted through business associations, clan associations, and grass roots organisations, said the report, published by US think tank Jamestown Foundation on July 16.
“[The Communist Party of China’s] propaganda efforts in Singapore that flow through these organisations aim to promote the narrative of a ‘greater China’ … one that includes all people of Chinese descent, irrespective of nationality,” said the analysis written by Russell Hsiao, the executive director of Global Taiwan Institute.
Rebutting the report in a Facebook post on Friday, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy described the allegations as “groundless” and “distorted from truth”, adding that the purpose of the report was to “alienate the friendship” between the two countries.
“The unique connections in history and culture between China and Singapore, a natural advantage in promoting bilateral cooperation, are unfortunately taken by someone as an excuse for attack, thus hurting not only China but also Singapore,” the spokesman said.
“Lies are lies. The more they are repeated, the more nonsense they are.”