(Singapore, 15th) — The Chinese Chaozhou dialect film "A Letter to Grandma" has attracted attention after being commented by Singaporean media as having United Front (统战) overtones. Singaporean scholars point out that regardless of the director's intentions, the emotional appeal of "falling leaves return to roots" (落叶归根), given the historical context, can easily be perceived as part of United Front discourse. In fact, Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong had previously stated that the Chinese ethnic group in Singapore has already 'put down roots'.
According to Central News Agency's report on the 14th, "A Letter to Grandma" tells the story of a grandma from China’s southern Chaoshan region who waits for her husband who has not returned from overseas, while her grandson travels to Thailand to find his grandfather and uncovers family letters and remittances sent home by overseas Chinese—referred to as "Qiaopi".
However, a review published recently by a foreign correspondent in Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao sparked discussion, describing it as a United Front film, "even if the director may not have had this intention. The target of United Front work here is not the Taiwanese people commonly seen in daily news, but the global Chinese population, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia. There's no propaganda slogan, no grand narrative; only 'affection' carries through the entire film."
Although Singapore is small in land area, it is a multi-ethnic country comprising Chinese, Malays, Indians, and others, with Chinese making up about three-quarters of its population.
The film is set to premiere in Singapore in mid-June. Dr. Chong Ja Ian, Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore and a scholar familiar with geopolitical issues, told Central News Agency that China has long had a strategy of trying to rally ethnic Chinese and so-called overseas Chinese worldwide.
Chong Ja Ian believes that regardless of the director's motives, given the specific historical context, the emotional appeal of 'falling leaves return to roots' is likely to be seen as part of United Front discourse, which has led to attention. Some middle-aged and older Chinese in Southeast Asia may hold traditional values regarding Chinese culture and have close ties with China; in contrast, younger generations, exposed to diverse media environments and sources of information, may not necessarily feel antagonistic toward China, but tend to regard China as just another country rather than an object of identification or belonging.
Falling Leaves Return to Roots vs. Putting Down Roots
In fact, Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has previously mentioned that Chinese people are no longer 'falling leaves returning to roots', but have 'put down roots'. Singapore earlier passed the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, and at that time Singapore-based representative Tung Chen-yuan noted in an interview that, although Singapore is an immigrant society, it is also concerned about the impact of foreign talent and connections, and seeks to protect national interests and mitigate risks through relevant legislation.
According to the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act, in 2024, the Singapore government identified Chan Man Ping, president of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce and the Kowloon Club, as potentially being influenced by foreign forces and intending to promote the interests of a foreign party. Authorities listed Chan Man Ping as a politically significant individual, meaning he must declare all relevant donations, relationships with foreign political or legislative bodies, and any benefits provided by foreign governments.
During a recent visit to China, Lee Hsien Loong stated in a media interview that cooperation is based on mutual interests, not solely on shared ethnicity. China is one of Singapore’s economic partners, the US remains an extremely important economic partner, and so do Japan and Europe. “If you only have one main friend, no matter who it is, your options become limited.”