Foreign embassies in Singapore should not incite local reactions to global issues, says MFA

The Singapore Government says it rejects attempts by foreign embassies here to incite domestic reactions to international issues involving third countries, adding that complex issues are best resolved through appropriate channels for effective diplomacy.

- Ho Ai Li

The May 21 statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came after the US and Chinese embassies here engaged in an exchange of videos and words on social media on the South China Sea.

On May 20, the US Embassy in Singapore posted a video on its social media accounts that compared territorial disputes in the South China Sea to those occurring in the common areas of Housing Board blocks in Singapore.

The 1 1/2-minute clip opens with exterior shots of HDB blocks before zooming in on pictures of belongings cluttering their walkways or common areas.

"So, imagine coming home one day and finding this," says a voice-over in Singaporean-accented English.

"A neighbour has decided that the space in front of your door is theirs. They block your entrance by putting their things on your doorstep. Does this remind you of anything else?"

The video then presents news clippings about the Philippines and Vietnam protesting against China's actions in the South China Sea.

"This happens right outside Singapore's doorstep, too, in the South China Sea, where one neighbour thinks he owns basically everything."