Singapore's newly appointed Ambassador to United States Lui Tuck Yew has posted a rebuttal on Facebook on Aug. 5 to the Washington Post's article on Chinese media Lianhe Zaobao's (Zaobao) coverage of China.

S'pore mainstream media reflect our distinct concerns & perspectives

The letter by Lui to the Washington Post (WaPo) was written on Jul. 26, but the newspaper has yet to respond to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) request to publish the letter.

On Aug. 5, Singapore Embassy in Washington DC published the letter on its Facebook and the letter is also up on MFA's website.

In his letter, Lui rejected the notion that Zaobao "echoes Beijing's propaganda".

Instead he said that all of Singapore's mainstream media, Zaobao included, reflected "distinct societal concerns, cultural history and perspectives". 

"They report local and global news for Singaporeans and play a crucial role in preserving the voices of our multi-cultural communities."

Lui spoke about his experiences as the Singaporean Ambassador to China, a role that he served in from 2020 to 2023.

"I have often heard its readers of various nationalities affirm Lianhe Zaobao’s balanced coverage and uniquely Singaporean viewpoints."

Because of this, he was not surprised to hear that Zaobao had "categorically rejected" WaPo's portrayal, as well as its "clearly explained" editorial stance.

Singapore doesn't pick sides but upholds consistent principles: Lui

Liu reiterated Singapore's foreign policy position:

"It bears repeating that Singapore conducts its foreign policy based on our own interests. We do not pick sides but uphold consistent principles."

Lui said that the stance enjoyed strong public support, with a 2022 poll by Singapore's Ministry of Communications and Information showing that 86 per cent of Singaporeans felt that the government "should always act in Singapore’s best interest and not take sides between the US and China."

In conclusion, Lui said:

"It is misguided for American news outlets to expect Zaobao to resemble the Washington Post or for Singapore to follow either the US or China.

Our media and society are unique, and offering valuable perspectives that contribute to the global dialogue."

Background

The WaPo's article, initially published on Jul. 24, had accused Zaobao of routinely echoing China's government's "most strident falsehoods".

It also accused the Singaporean Chinese-language media of prioritising access to the Chinese market, rather than publishing critical coverage of China's government.

Zaobao has rejected this characterisation, saying its China coverage was "objective, neutral, fact-based and without critique or preconceived notions."

Lui was appointed Singapore's ambassador to the United States in May 2023, taking over from Ashok Kumar Mirpuri who had served as the ambassador for over a decade.

His appointment comes at a time of mounting tensions between the U.S. and China, a global situation that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had described as "unprecedented".

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Top image from Washington Post and Singapore Embassy in Washington DC/Facebook