THREAD: so much to unpack in one sentence: "Worsening China-US ties are not good to overseas Chinese communities, considering that Chinese Singaporeans make up 75 percent of its population." H/t: @SCS_Disputes globaltimes.cn/content/119827…
Singaporean Chinese, not Chinese Singaporean. Nation first, ethnicity second. This is what defines Singapore as a multi-ethnic society, where national identify binds diverse ethnicity and cultures together. And this has been drilled in primary school since my times at least. 1/
The allusion that "Chinese Singaporeans" are "overseas Chinese communities" is outright misleading and patronizing. This label perhaps applies to my grandparents' generations, since they were emigres who directly came to colonial SG from China (back then PRC didn't exist). 2/
Local-born SG Chinese, such as my parents' generation onwards, are Singaporeans not "overseas Chinese communities" simply given the national allegiance pledged to Singapore, not PRC. Even naturalized SG Chinese may not regard themselves as "overseas Chinese communities". 3/
My distant relatives, who migrated to SG from PRC in the 1980s-1990s, would also feel denigrated for being called "overseas Chinese communities" - many of them are hardcore champions of their SG identity, embraced local norms and cultures and assimilated well as one of us. 4/
And for some of you who might tell me to chill because it's Global Times is a tabloid. Allow me to remind you that GT is linked to the CCP. Its publications would imply the views of some if not all within the PRC political elites. And this is a dangerous view to be held. END
Rejoinder: Some comments pointed out the emphasis from the language perspective and that "Chinese Singaporean" exudes more Singaporean-ness. I get what they meant. But that's not the point. 1/
Try telling the older, less literate SG Chinese about usage of nouns, and hope that they still emphasize national identity over ethnicity? "Singaporean Chinese" is the most straightforward, if not too accurate from a language perspective, manner to emphasize that national ID. 2/
The last part of this nice piece that resonates with what I'm thinking - and I don't think I'm alone: "No matter when I am in the world, I would first be a Singaporean, then a Chinese" thingsasian.com/story/singapor…
