Singapore

Recently, a Chinese tourist came to Singapore and criticised Chinese Singaporeans for not being able to speak Mandarin. He also complained about local trains not having signs in Chinese language. Soon after, his video went viral on the social media platform TikTok, where the majority of locals warned him against conflating two different identities. 

Advertisment

Similarly, another user, who is from China, shared a video showing how people in Singapore might have “forgotten their culture”. He also revealed he was shocked to learn that Singaporeans were cold on being considered “compatriots” with mainlanders.

Now, clips are being shared online highlighting Singaporeans' frustration over being called Chinese. 

Also read : Singapore recalls India`s Everest Masala, claims it is `unfit for human consumption`

Advertisment

One user commented on the video and said, "Singaporean Chinese admit they are Chinese. They just hate [for] people to think they are from China.”

Another user added how people in Singapore wanted to disassociate themselves from the Chinese because of their "bad habits".

“Chinese nationals travelling and visiting places no doubt created a bad image for themselves, such as: talking loudly, [having] no manners and bad habits,” he said.

Advertisment

The majority of the population in Singapore is ethnically Chinese. The population of 4 million compromises 74 per cent Chinese, 13 per cent Malays and 9 per cent Indians.

Also read: Singapore allows workers to request 4-day weeks and more work from home

According to experts, Singapore suffers from this identity crisis and the debate of being Chinese vs Singaporean is not new.

“For a long time, Singapore has been confused as being a part of China and that comes mainly from Europe and North American societies … That primarily is because the two share a significant similarity in heritage and Singapore being a majority-Chinese country, so there is that tendency to perceive it as an allegiance,” Leong Chan-Hoong, a senior fellow for social cohesion research at the Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, was quoted as saying by South China Morning Post.

This debate has also annoyed some Singaporean lawmakers, one of whom said in the parliament last month that the cultural ties between the two nations "should not be the only way to view relations between both sides."

“Singaporeans are citizens of an independent country, but may also identify culturally with being ethnically Chinese, Malay, Indian or others. National identity and cultural identity are two different matters,” Sim Ann, a senior minister of state in Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had said.

(With inputs from agencies)