On July. 24, U.S. media outlet the Washington Post (WaPo) published an investigative piece about Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao (ZB), a Chinese-language daily published by SPH Media Trust.

Primarily written by Shibani Mahtani, a Singapore-based journalist, the piece includes a number of observations and claims about ZB's reporting on China issues.

In the course of its reporting, WaPo sent ZB a number of queries. These, and the responses from ZB, have been seen by Mothership following our own queries to ZB.

Here's a breakdown of the points made in the piece, and ZB's responses to its queries.

ZB fears being shut out of the Chinese market, which influences editorial decisions: WaPo

ZB "enjoys rare access" to readers in China. This, WaPo claimed, has made ZB dependent on that readership for "advertising and growth."

Quoting "10 former and current" ZB reporters that spoke under the condition of anonymity, WaPo alleged that the newspaper's leadership is loath to risk being shut out of the Chinese market, and prioritised access over "critical coverage."

WaPo also cited circulation numbers to compare ZB's readership in Singapore and China. "Zaobao’s combined print and digital circulation in Singapore fell from 187,900 in 2015 to 144,000 in 2020, according to company filings," it said.

However, since the emergence of SPH Media Trust, "circulation figures and other financial records are no longer available to the public."

On the other hand, ZB has "over 4 million monthly readers in China". Citing their ZB sources, WaPo said this is monetised through advertising and paid advertorials from companies seeking to reach this readership.

WaPo noted that ZB's main WeChat page was blocked in 2019, at the "height of the Hong Kong protests". While the reason for the block is unclear, it claimed ZB interpreted this as a warning that its other social media platforms in China could also be blocked.

This, according to WaPo, influenced the editorial direction of ZB and led it to supposedly defer to "Beijing's narrative" on issues like the protests against Covid lockdowns in China, and the Chinese surveillance balloon shot down in the U.S.

Our reporting decisions do not depend on whether we will be blocked in China: ZB

In response to WaPo's query of whether ZB factors its China access in editorial decisions, ZB said:

"Based on the definitions of some Western media platforms, if you’re not anti-China, you must be pro-China. And in their eyes, you’re not only pro-China, but pro-CCP. Such perceptions and definitions are too simplistic and even malicious."

ZB asserted that it covers China while being "objective, neutral, fact-based and without critique or preconceived notions."

It said that it does not "dance to the West's tune" when reporting on certain topics, but this does not mean it is "pro-CCP."

ZB said it cherishes its millions of readers in China, who can find a different perspective and interpretation as compared to local Chinese media reports.

"...to them, we are an important window for them to connect to the outside world," ZB said.

It added: "The reason why Lianhe Zaobao reports or does not report news is not dependent on whether we will be blocked in China. We also do not exist to oppose or support China, nor to oppose or support any country."

Its mission, ZB said, is to provide "quality information" to its readers, and refuses to take sides amid the "intensifying China-U.S. rivalry."

ZB often quotes from China state sources and follows Beijing's narratives on certain stories: WaPo

WaPo and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (a think tank partially funded by the Australian government) did an analysis of over 700 Lianhe Zaobao articles through 2022 and early 2023.

WaPo alleged that ZB "routinely echoes some of Beijing's most strident falsehoods", including "denying rights abuses" in Xinjiang and alleging that protests in Hong Kong and mainland China were instigated by "foreign forces."

In its query to ZB, WaPo noted that "overall, Zaobao references, cites and publishes pro-CCP or state sources more than any other sources, including independent media."

It also said that in stories such as the fire in Urumqi, ZB quoted China state sources "without further context."

WaPo, citing its unnamed reporter sources, added that there is a practice of "standing up" or having "more neutral/balanced" reports on issues that are core to Singapore, but "letting Beijing’s narrative run on topics that are not considered as core to Singapore."

Our reporters do not intentionally select sources based on political leanings: ZB

In response, ZB said that its reporters are proficient in both English and Chinese, and obtain information from a "great variety of sources."

Besides China sources, it also cites or quotes from international news agencies and Western media sources.

"When we report on China or any location, official local data and information is the primary source. Reports on Taiwan are usually filed by our correspondents based there; when quoting from other media, we do not intentionally select the sources according to their political leanings."

ZB added that its principle is to "concurrently report what China and other countries are saying", on the premise that the information sources are reliable, or that it has first-hand interviews.

It also said that it neither pursues a China or Western narrative but a "Singapore media's" narrative.

ZB runs opinion columns from CCP officials without noting party affiliation: WaPo

Another point raised by WaPo is that ZB routinely runs opinion columns since 2016 from "at least two CCP officials without noting their party affiliation, referring to them simply as China affairs commentators."

These are Deng Qingbo, a director at Hunan province’s cyberspace administration office, and Ding Songquan, part of the CCP’s committee at Huzhou College in Zhejiang province.

Another columnist, Xing Yuchao (based in Hong Kong), reportedly sometimes writes "identical" columns for both ZB and China Daily, a media outlet owned by the CCP, which WaPo said "blurs the line" between China's state media and the S'pore publication.

In its query to ZB, WaPo asked if ZB was aware of their party affiliations, and whether they were paid for their columns.

Opinion section is for broad spectrum of views, not ZB's official position, ZB respects how contributors wish to describe themselves

In response, ZB noted that its official position is only carried by its editorials. The opinion section features a "broad spectrum of views" by contributors from a variety of backgrounds, including China, Japan and the U.S.

"We do not want to discard certain views out of hand solely based on the columnist’s background. These pieces do not represent Lianhe Zaobao’s views."

ZB elaborated that understanding the thinking of Chinese authorities "has its value", given China's status as an important trading partner for countries in the region. It also said that in the CCP system, "so-called private agencies or individuals may often have an official background."

ZB confirmed that contributors receive a small fee for published articles, and added:

"As far as possible, Lianhe Zaobao verifies the background of all writers, while respecting how they wish to describe themselves. Lianhe Zaobao also publishes writers from China who prefer to publish anonymously or under a pseudonym due to their contradictory positions on sensitive issues from the Chinese government."

Outgoing Ambassador Sun Haiyan's engagement with ZB

WaPo also referenced an incident involving outgoing China ambassador to Singapore, Sun Haiyan.

"Among Sun’s first engagements was a meeting with a group of Chinese-language online outlets where, according to an editor present, she asked that they steer clear of sensitive topics, including China’s actions in Xinjiang and Tibet, where the United Nations found evidence of wide-ranging human rights abuses and forced assimilation.

Sun told an editor at SPH Media, Zaobao’s parent company, that it should help tell positive stories about China, according to a person familiar with the exchange."

Citing a response from China's embassy in Singapore, WaPo said:

"[The Chinese embassy] respects Singapore’s multireligious and multiethnic society, and is in “regular contact with a diverse array of local communities,” citing relationships with Indian and Malay lawmakers.

Public relations and media affairs constitute an important part of the works” of Sun, the embassy said."

In its query to ZB, WaPo asked if there was any pushback against Sun's alleged request to "help tell positive stories of China", and whether there have been occasions where ZB declined to run opinion pieces or letters from her.

ZB replied:

"Quite a number of ambassadors have been engaging us, including China’s ambassador. We interviewed them and published articles contributed by them. The latest was from the Japanese ambassador. Last November, Ambassador Sun sent one in response to our editor-in-chief’s column. We published that by our guiding principle of giving the right of reply."

Related story:

Top image from Washington Post and Lianhe Zaobao Facebook pages.