Western and Asian stances no longer universal

How much of this is due to misinformation?

Why are some Singaporeans pro-China?

Such sentiments not tied to just ethnicity

Roles that the media can play

Has national education suffered?

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. 

In this first episode, she looks at the sentiments of pro-China Singaporeans, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Helping her make sense of this small but increasingly vocal group of Singaporeans, as well as the many narratives surrounding the conflict, is Political Science Associate Professor Ian Chong from the National University of Singapore.

Highlights (click/tap above):

03:23 On the claim that Singapore is "following" the Western posture instead of a supposedly "Asian" or "Asean" one: Why such "easy labels" cannot be easily applied in complex geopolitical and cultural debates?

06:24 How much of this is due to misinformation, or disinformation or propaganda by pro-China or pro-Russia camps?

10:58 Beyond what is happening in Ukraine, why are some Singaporeans are so strongly supportive of China? Is it just ties of ethnicity or plain business?

16:05 Why it is simplistic to attribute such sentiments purely to ethnicity

17:30 Prof Chong on the role the media can play, when even within mainstream media and vernacular media, this tension is being played out in the coverage of the Ukraine crisis

19:40 Has national education suffered, partly because there is not much publicly available information about detailed considerations and sensitive closed-door negotiations

Produced by: Grace Ho (graceho@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Watch China calling - The growing allure of a rising power here: https://str.sg/w7Q4

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast each month here:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Grace Ho's articles: https://str.sg/w7sr

Read ST's Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

---

Discover ST's special edition podcasts:

Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2

Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB

Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn

---

Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

SG Extra: https://str.sg/wukR

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#inyouropinion

Synopsis: The Straits Times' opinion editor Grace Ho takes a hard look at political and social issues of the day with her expert guests. 
In this first episode, she looks at the sentiments of pro-China Singaporeans, especially against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Helping her make sense of this small but increasingly vocal group of Singaporeans, as well as the many narratives surrounding the conflict, is Political Science Associate Professor Ian Chong from the National University of Singapore.
Highlights (click/tap above):
03:23 On the claim that Singapore is "following" the Western posture instead of a supposedly "Asian" or "Asean" one: Why such "easy labels" cannot be easily applied in complex geopolitical and cultural debates?
06:24 How much of this is due to misinformation, or disinformation or propaganda by pro-China or pro-Russia camps?
10:58 Beyond what is happening in Ukraine, why are some Singaporeans are so strongly supportive of China? Is it just ties of ethnicity or plain business?
16:05 Why it is simplistic to attribute such sentiments purely to ethnicity
17:30 Prof Chong on the role the media can play, when even within mainstream media and vernacular media, this tension is being played out in the coverage of the Ukraine crisis
19:40 Has national education suffered, partly because there is not much publicly available information about detailed considerations and sensitive closed-door negotiations
Produced by: Grace Ho (<a href="mailto:graceho@sph.com.sg">graceho@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis and Teo Tong Kai
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Watch China calling - The growing allure of a rising power here: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Q4">https://str.sg/w7Q4</a>
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast each month here:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/wukb">https://str.sg/wukb</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sV">https://str.sg/w7sV</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.awedio.sg/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=hangouts&amp;ust=1648188366398000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1WcEBRZOS93Dj9bLJzYou0" data-display="https://www.awedio.sg/" data-sanitized="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.awedio.sg/&amp;sa=D&amp;source=hangouts&amp;ust=1648188366398000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1WcEBRZOS93Dj9bLJzYou0">https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://str.sg/stpodcasts&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1604121592032000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF423GUSRs-f8wdi3ldSNpY72885g">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a> 
Grace Ho's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sr">https://str.sg/w7sr</a><a href="https://str.sg/wWtt" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wWtt&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1645090520476000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0CC59OwSVVC8paft6YH6fQ"></a>
Read ST's Opinion section: <a href="https://str.sg/w7sH">https://str.sg/w7sH</a>
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
Singapore's War On Covid: <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wuJa&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192548000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3V_RDFqadfZ7uy8SNKGqTB">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wuZ2&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192548000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1K0ZRepJPBhwEnj9XJuIQD">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Stop Scams: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wuZB&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192548000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1JeDCnREW9ZA446duvP5PN">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Invisible Asia: <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wuZn&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192548000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2_wa-hc6rGz4mt7LjGwr_n">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWa7&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0cFpMdTcnlc2N47SWbiOKO">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWaf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1T9cgbESdGjXe7ZVHM-Jhi">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWaN&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0WzDkklt5Uin8ZK_cV7W8J">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wB2m&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1yEgP1blJ3SUXNP-5x1OrF">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
SG Extra: <a href="https://str.sg/wukR" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/wukR&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3NhpYkSrgPcK5qbPBYtIlu">https://str.sg/wukR</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWad&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Fjirj5G0OxiHRC0jCu-0P">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWRE&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2YCoRdXA2cNe1bU3OGSdU4">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Bookmark This!: <a href="https://str.sg/JWas" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/JWas&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw06c5cMlJP4acRJih_DxYMJ">https://str.sg/JWas</a>
Lunch With Sumiko: <a href="https://str.sg/J6hQ" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://str.sg/J6hQ&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1iK-ND0BJzWTALg2wpXpOW">https://str.sg/J6hQ</a>
Discover BT Podcasts: <a dir="ltr" href="https://bt.sg/pcPL" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bt.sg/pcPL&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1655361192549000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1_v16VIOR-vn9WX7EuQ-JC">https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#inyouropinion

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Podcaster: Lynda Hong and ST journalists

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every second Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Podcaster: Lynda Hong and ST journalists
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Advertisement