Singapore – For decades, Singapore has promoted itself as one of the world's most open and globalized economies, to compensate for its small territory and lack of natural resources.
Southeast Asian city-states are currently facing new challenges. The idea is to preserve the magic elements of its success while preventing the foreign interference that such openness could invite.
Singapore's government on Monday designated naturalized citizen Chan Man Ping Phillip, 59, as a “person of political importance”, weeks after authorities indicated they intended to designate the businessman. , was the first to invoke the Foreign Interference Act.
Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said Hong Kong-born Chan had shown “susceptibility to the influence of foreign actors and a willingness to advance the interests of foreign actors”.
Under the designation, Mr. Chan is required to disclose annual political contributions of more than 10,000 Singapore dollars (approximately $7,400), overseas affiliations, and relocation allowances.
The government has not said which country's interests Mr Chan allegedly sought to advance in Singapore, but the businessman and property developer is well known for advocating a Chinese perspective. There is.
Last year, Mr. Zhang attended the second session of China's National Assembly and said, “It is our duty as overseas Chinese to tell the story of China well and spread and inherit the wonderful traditional culture of China while we are overseas,'' according to Chinese media reports. I was told. meeting.
Mr Chan, who founded China Link Education Consultants and served as chairman of the Hong Kong-Singapore Business Association and the Kowloon Club, is also a prolific contributor to Chinese-language news outlet Lianhe Zaobao.
He was given a warning by police in 2019 for violating Singapore's strict gathering limits and promoting debate on a controversial bill in Hong Kong without permission.
Chan told local media he had no comment on the designation and did not respond to Al Jazeera's request for comment through his former association.
Singapore passed the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) in 2021 amid intense criticism from opposition politicians and activists who warned that the law could be used to suppress legitimate dissent. did.
Other countries, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, have also passed laws aimed at preventing foreign interference.
But for Singapore, the challenge of balancing an open economy and national security is particularly delicate.
As a small island city-state with few natural resources, Singapore relies heavily on the free flow of goods and people.
Trade accounts for more than 300 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), the highest proportion of any country, and non-permanent immigrants make up about 30 percent of the country's 5.92 million residents.
For authorities, there is a growing recognition that this openness can be a double-edged sword.
Dylan Lo, an expert on Chinese diplomacy at Nanyang Technological University, said: “For Singapore, there is always a long-standing concern about foreign influence. Singapore is an open economy and is highly digitalised, so this is not unique to China. It's not unique to .” NTU) and Al Jazeera.
“We cannot afford to erect barriers to people, information, ideas, and capital as others have done.”
Mr Low said Singapore was particularly concerned about “insidious forms of influence” beyond typical economic and cultural exchanges.
“As a country with a Chinese majority, it is only natural that our country is seen as a fertile ground for cultivation and influence,” Lo said.
“For Singapore, I think this means we have had to update our tools, including regulations, to more effectively deter and respond appropriately when we spot such activity. This incident is exactly why FICA was needed,” he added, referring to Mr. Chan’s case.
Local media has highlighted how Chinese Singaporeans, who make up about three-quarters of the population, are increasingly sympathetic to China.
A 2022 Pew Research Center survey of residents from 19 countries found that Singapore was one of only two countries, along with Malaysia, where a majority of residents had a favorable view of China. Indicated.
Chong Jia Ian, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said there were concerns in Singapore about the Chinese Communist Party mobilizing the Chinese diaspora and using trade relations to advance its own interests. said.
“Singapore has so far avoided more serious and substantive discussions about race, ethnicity, citizenship, and their meanings, which means that Singaporean society will continue to draw on, challenge, and perhaps reconsider these notions of identity. It means that we lack the capacity to deal with the challenges we are trying to define,” Chong told Al Jazeera.
Like many Asian countries, Singapore is unwilling to take sides in the escalating conflict between the United States and China, and instead embraces the mantra of being a friend to all and an enemy to none. We are hiring.
Ben Chester Chong, lecturer in law at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said Singapore's foreign policy requires building a network of partners based on principles of mutual respect, sovereignty and equality for nations, regardless of their size. He said he was in a difficult position. (sus).
“Everything that is happening around us must be understood in light of the fundamentals of Singapore's foreign policy. It is inevitable that we will need to work closely with different countries in the field,” Chong told Al Jazeera.
Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cited numerous examples of foreign entities allegedly launching hostile influence campaigns to justify FICA.
In one of the most high-profile cases of foreign interference, authorities expelled Chinese-American academic Huang Jing in 2017, deeming him an “agent of foreign influence.”
Huang, a professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, was stripped of his permanent resident status on suspicion of collaborating with intelligence agencies to influence government policy and public opinion.
At the time, Hwang denied being a foreign agent and called the claims “nonsense.”
FICA, which passed Congress after 10 hours of debate, includes immunity from judicial review and provisions that allow authorities to direct internet service providers and social media platforms to provide user information, block content and remove applications. The scope of its authority has been controversial. Used to spread content they deem hostile.
In an open letter prior to FICA's passage, 11 human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, wrote that the bill's provisions “violate international law and human rights principles” and that “both online and offline “This will further reduce civic space.”
Singapore's business community has remained silent about the bill both before and after it was enacted.
Several Singaporean and Chinese business organizations declined to comment when contacted by Al Jazeera.
SUSS's Chung said that given that Chung has not been charged with any criminal offense and his case appears to be isolated, the exercise of FICA against Chung would scare away investors and businesses. He said he didn't think so.
Investors and businesses are attracted to Singapore because it has one of the best business environments in the world, which remains a key consideration, Mr Chong said.
“The vast majority of investors and companies are not politically important or have any desire to be politically active,” he said.
“Therefore, for most politically apathetic investors and businesses, the chances of FICA being applicable are slim to none.”
Alsaf Marsouf, assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University's Nanyang Business School, said the law could actually increase business confidence, as national security and public order are “fundamental prerequisites for a stable and secure business environment.” He said that there is.
“FICA will enhance Singapore's reputation as a safe and reliable destination for economic activity, which is fundamental to retaining and attracting investment and promoting business growth,” Mr Maasuf told Al Jazeera.
Maasouf said the law had so far been applied in a “targeted manner” and the government was keen to maintain a “stable and balanced international position”.
“This prudent approach ensures that legitimate business operations and investments are not adversely affected, and Singapore's commitment to maintaining a safe and predictable business environment is essential for business confidence and investment decisions,” he said. We will strengthen our efforts.”
NUS's Mr Chong said Singaporean society should have more open discussions on issues of identity and foreign interference, rather than relying solely on the law.
“Other actors may also try to use Singapore and Singaporeans for their own purposes,” he says.
“That can't be helped. What can help is how Singapore and Singaporeans deal with these challenges. We can't just enact laws like FICA without wider debate and greater transparency. It may not be enough.”