Just
before PM Lee making his official visit to China, the Global Times in China
published a controversy piece of news over its website. #1
Is
this a misinterpretation as what our Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained? Or,
deep in his heart, should PM Lee see this as a warning to himself or worst
still, a slap on his face prior to meeting the new leaders of China.
New
leaders always come with 3 fires (新官上任三把火). This is
the first time that PM Lee meets President Xi Jin-ping and Prime Minister Li
Ke-qiang in their respective new capacities.
As an outsider, it is not our business to know (details) how Chinese choose
their leaders. However, PM Lee’s remark on
Diaoyu Islands in Tokyo in May 2013 is a very sensitive issue in China. A wrong remark or misinterpretation can easily
lead to strong emotional reaction. It is
understandable after the publication of the ‘misinterpreted
comment’, strong reactions are expected from netizens in China.
Singapore
MFA had no choice but to make the following statement:
[Using a sensationalist headline, the article took Prime Minister Lee's comments completely out of context and grossly distorted and misreported what he said. Such unprofessional reporting is unhelpful and could harm bilateral relations and affect people-to-people ties. #1]
It
blamed the Global Times and the Global Times said they just carried the same piece
of news from Ta Kung Pao. They can blame
each other but the timing of the publication looks more like a warning to PM
Lee, in Chinese it is 下马威.
Before landing in Beijing, let’s warn you over the internet first indirectly
and ‘unofficially’.
Both
Ta Kung Pao and the Global Times are mouthpieces of the Chinese Communist
Party.
Ta
Kung Pao (大公报) is a
pro-communist newspaper in Hong Kong #2, so do the Global Times in China #3.
Just
imagine SINGAPOLITICS #4 publishes some bad news about our neighbours, for
example, the haze problem or the crimes happening there. What will the foreign governments
and their netizens think? How will they interpret it? Can SINGAPOLITICS claim that they are independent
and are just a private identity under Singapore Press Holdings?
PM
Lee and MFA, of course, can claim that this is just an isolated incidence by
non-official news website in China. They
can even say these are social media in China, like the (mistrusted) social media in Singapore.
Deep in the hearts of Chinese and Singaporeans, do (they and) we really interpret in such
a way? Is it just simply a ‘completely out of context and grossly
distorted and misreported’ news over internet?
Back
in Singapore politics, the phrase ‘completely
out of context and grossly distorted and misreported’, in fact, looks quite
familiar. Can you recall some of the past incidences? It needs no further
explanation.
If
this can be used as a political excuse to do some things, to serve some
purposes, why can’t it be used as a warning or even a slap just before the
Beijing visit?
Besides
enjoying his visit in China, PM Lee should think very hard what really his hosts
are trying to say? Wrong interpretation or misinterpretation from the Singapore
side has to be equally weighted and taken into consideration seriously.
#1
#2
#3
#4
In front of the US, they were told we need them to counter China's military might. In front of the Taiwanese, they are advised it is rather stupid to go against the Chinese. In front of the Chinese, they are told their economic influence & power is most vital to us.
ReplyDeleteDo we look like we will suck up to whichever party is of use to us ?