Singapore is in the heat of its 2020 General Election.

Singapore's GE discussed among ordinary Chinese

The country's election, held in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, has received considerable global attention, with media coverage on the BBC, Bloomberg, and Reuters.

It has also created a bit of chatter on Chinese social media.

Microblogging site Weibo is abuzz, not least due to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's younger brother Lee Hsien Yang's move to join the opposition.

The news was even covered by Chinese state media CCTV, albeit with some added speculation.

The Lee family's public spat over the Oxley Road property had made headlines in China back in 2017.

News from the Singapore do not typically command that much attention otherwise.

While there is no universal suffrage in China, this has not stopped Chinese social media users from speculating and commenting on Singapore's domestic politics.

Here are some of the online chatter that has emerged.

Lee lineage?

In response to news that the younger Lee Hsien Yang has joined the opposition party Progress Singapore Party, many commenters mistakenly thought it was just a move to consolidate power in the Lee family's hands -- an opinion that was perhaps misguided by the misconception that the historically non-political younger Lee was going to contest.

"Placing my bets on both."

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"Lee-gapore (Lees' Singapore), no matter how the leaders are chosen! (Singapore) still belongs to the Lees."

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"The third generation of the Lee family can already ascend the throne right? Hope he won't be as young as Kim Jong Un."

Reply: "How can the two countries be compared? Economically? Singapore's is one of the three biggest financial hubs in the world, not including China. Politically, Singapore ranks top in being the least corrupt, is number one in Asia in that regard, and fourth in the world, while China ranks 80th. I suppose you're talking about Lee Kuan Yew and his son Lee Hsien Loong governing Singapore, to appoint the most capable person regardless of familial ties, the aforementioned facts have already explained everything. Please, think more critically, don't let your mind be colonised even though your body is free to move."

Reply: "The phrase 'ascend the throne' has a negative connotation, and there's really no need to compare Singapore and North Korea as the two are not the same."

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"Still ruled by the Lees."

Reply: "It's Heng this time round."

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"Why not hold a referendum a few years earlier so Lee Hsien Loong can be Singapore's Prime Minister indefinitely until his death? How foolish!"

The futility of elections for a "Chinese" society like Singapore?

"How many commenters here really know what on earth is an election?"

Reply: "I used to believe in elections, but now..."

Reply: "I used to want to have elections. But I really can't be bothered with it now. Many countries in the world have elections, but still suck."

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"The ultimate goal of holding an election is to select capable leaders, it's very easy for Chinese societies to descend into chaos if they fool around with elections like Taiwan does."

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"Singapore better not learn so-called democracy from Taiwan and the United States, otherwise it'll be the start of its decline!"

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"A country where nepotism is worse (than China), and where connections matter widely."

On Lee Hsien Yang joining the opposition

"This person's despicable."

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"Having competition in politics is good as it can spur better policies with the interests of the people in mind. But don't ever fight for the sake of having the fight, a political fight that does not have the people's welfare in mind fundamentally will only hurt the people at the end of the day."

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"Harmony in the family is more important than everything else, what are you (referring to Lee Hsien Yang) doing? If you are really capable, Lee Kuan Yew would have let you lead the country in his lifetime, the fact that he didn't proves that he knew better, you'd better refrain from embarrassing yourself further."

Singapore a "Chinese" country that's pro-America?

"A lapdog of the Americans, the anti-China trend has gotten people worshipping a group of herding dogs."

Reply: "Hahahaha, how about the many times when Singapore stood with China? Don't embarrass yourself by commenting carelessly."

Reply: "Singapore is a Chinese country right?"

Singapore a "Chinese" nation to China?

According to China specialist Maria Siow, who was writing in South China Morning Post, serious discussions on Singapore on the Chinese cyberspace usually occur when the city-state is seen as "siding" with the United States in its foreign policy.

It is widely perceived that the predominantly ethnic-Chinese nation should be supporting China's position instead.

Disappointment felt by some Chinese when Singapore appears to take another country's side over China's can be explained by the shortfall between their expectation of what Singapore is "supposed to do", and the reality, according to China experts Chen Nahui and Xue Li.

Singapore's foreign policy not guided by its ethnic makeup

Singapore's leadership has articulated its foreign policy stance repeatedly, saying that it will abide by and promote a rules-based international world order, a condition that is vital for small states like itself.

In addition, being the only majority ethnic-Chinese country in the region, Singapore's leadership also has to show consideration to its neighbours, and exhibit independence in its foreign policy regardless of the ethnic makeup of its population.

For instance, Singapore was the last country in Southeast Asia to resume official diplomatic relations with China in 1990, only doing so after other countries like Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia made their moves starting from the early 1970s.

The decision was taken to show deference to them at a time when China's intentions in the region were still under intense scrutiny due to Chinese support for local communist insurgents, among other reasons such as the need to establish its identity as a newly sovereign nation.

Top image via Unsplash