Singaporean scholars have pointed out that in recent years, the boundaries between China and Singapore in the political, business, and cultural spheres have become increasingly blurred. Recently, Singaporean officials once again reiterated that the loyalty of Chinese Singaporeans should be to Singapore. Scholars analyze that the Singaporean government must respond to the influence of Beijing’s rhetoric on Singaporean society, while also balancing the relationship with China, which poses increasing challenges.
Singaporean media outlet "Lianhe Zaobao" reported that on the 8th, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) held the "Young Entrepreneurs Week." Singapore's Minister of State for National Development, Tan Kiat How, stated at the event that while Chinese Singaporeans should take pride in their Chinese culture, it is even more critical and absolute that their foremost and primary loyalty must be to Singapore.
In fact, Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has previously mentioned that people of Chinese descent are no longer "fallen leaves returning to their roots," but are "roots taking hold where they fall." During his visit to China in May, Lee Hsien Loong said in a media interview that cooperation is based on shared interests, not because people belong to the same ethnic group. China is one of Singapore’s economic partners; the United States continues to be a very important economic partner, and so are Japan and Europe.
Singapore previously passed the "Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act," and in 2024 authorities announced that Chan Man Ping, president of Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce and Kowloon Club, may be influenced by foreign powers and intends to further the interests of foreign entities. The Singaporean government listed Chan Man Ping as a Politically Significant Person (PSP), which means he must declare relevant donations received, any relationships with foreign political or legislative institutions, as well as any benefits received from foreign governments.
Additionally, a Teochew dialect film from China titled "A Letter to Grandma" was recently commented by Singaporean media as having United Front (pro-China) implications, drawing public attention.
● Exercising Caution on Issues Related to China
Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian from the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore said in an interview with Central News Agency on the 10th that Singapore has always placed great importance on race and ethnic issues, and has consistently maintained a cautious attitude regarding issues involving China. In recent years, China's influence in the business, cultural, and political spheres has become increasingly interwoven and boundaries have become blurred. When addressing these issues, Singapore tends to avoid overly direct responses and adopts a relatively cautious stance.
Chong Ja Ian pointed out that the Singaporean government will face greater challenges in the future. On one hand, it needs to address the potential impact of related rhetoric on domestic society; on the other, it must also maintain good relations with China to avoid displeasing Beijing or even triggering sanctions.
● Increase in Cyberattack Incidents in Recent Years
Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs, Shanmugam, previously noted an increase in cyberattack incidents in recent years. He cited a group known as hacker organization UNC3886 and emphasized that Singapore would continue to strengthen its cybersecurity defenses. Some cybersecurity companies believe this group has links to China.
At that time, he publicly disclosed the cyberattack incident and stated that it posed a serious threat to Singapore as an "advanced persistent threat (APT)."
"Advanced persistent threat (APT)" refers to a cyberattack in which an intruder gains and maintains unauthorized access to a target’s system for an extended period without being detected.