Huang Jing, 60, a Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy academic and US citizen, said on Tuesday, Aug. 8, that he had appealed the decision to expel him, according to Reuters.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said last Friday it had canceled the permanent residence of Huang and of his wife, Shirley Yang Xiuping, who is also a US citizen.

Chinese propaganda site defends Huang

Internationally-recognised China mouthpiece Global Times has called Singapore's stripping of Huang's permanent residency as “rare and odd”.

The Aug. 6 report also said the incident showcases the Singapore government’s poor strategic thinking ability, after accusing him of being a foreign agent of influence.

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Framed issue as Singapore's curb on free speech

Global Times also framed the issue as a possible curb on free speech.

The article quoted China’s CCTV talk show host Yang Rui as saying: “It is not clear if Singapore is suppressing freedom of speech. But Huang’s speech must have antagonised the relevant government, leading to his deportation”.

Global Times also reported Zhu Lijia, a professor of public management at the Chinese Academy of Governance, as saying that a public announcement expelling an academic is rare and ironic, as Singapore takes pride in its freedom of speech and open-mindedness.

Zhu said Singapore's policy cannot be simply influenced by a professor or his “privileged information” and suggested that Huang had said something which conflicts with Singapore’s current political situation.

Related article:

Is Huang Jing a foreign agent of China or America? We speculate.