Singapore’s HDB corridors compared with South China Sea row? US embassy slammed over video
The video compares rule violations over cluttering along HDB corridors with what it refers to as China’s illegal actions in the waterways
A post by the US embassy in Singapore comparing the violation of town council rules on cluttering of HDB corridors with the South China Sea row has drawn ridicule from online users. Photo: USAmbSG/X
A US embassy video likening China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea to a resident in Singapore cluttering the corridor of a public housing block has been met with ridicule by online users, with some describing it as propaganda tailored for local audiences.
The 90-second clip, posted by US Chargé d’Affaires Casey Mace and reshared across the official embassy channels on Monday, opens with a scene familiar to many Singaporeans – the façade of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat – and a narrator intoning: “Our homes are our sanctuaries. And when we live together, it’s important to respect each other’s space and our common space.”
Viewers are then asked to “imagine coming home one day and to find this”, as the screen flashes images of shared areas blocked by household clutter, alongside headlines about disputes over corridor hoarding. “A neighbour has decided that the space in front of your door is theirs,” the narrator says, before asking: “Does this remind you of anything else?”
The video then pivots to the South China Sea conflict, showing news headlines about Philippine and Vietnamese officials accusing China of aggression, military build-ups and harassment of fishermen. “This happens right outside Singapore’s doorstep, too,” the narrator says.
The video notes that in 2016, a UN tribunal ruled in favour of the Philippines in a case against Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, saying China’s “nine-dash line” had no legal basis. China has consistently rejected the ruling, stating that it has historic rights over the disputed waters.
The rest of the video draws out the HDB analogy, likening China’s territorial claims and assertive actions in the disputed waterway to HDB residents refusing to remove their things from public areas even after town councils have ruled against them. The video ends with the narrator saying: “It’s important to remember: we all have to use this corridor. We have to live together peacefully.”
The reactions to the video online thus far have been largely critical. “Don’t bring your own politics/rivalry with China into Singapore,” one user wrote.
Another labelled the video a “nice piece of propaganda customised” for Singaporean audiences. “Should acknowledge the effort producer and writer for going to so much trouble to localise the propaganda,” the user said.
Others were less charitable. “Nobody trusts USA anymore. Bunch of hypocritical losers,” a user said. Another questioned Washington’s moral authority: “The US believes in international law? LOL!”
Still, not all were dismissive. One user echoed the video’s core message, warning of Chinese aggression and calling for an international response, praising the US and its allies for “building buffer zones to defend and deter” China.
Singapore, a non-claimant in the South China Sea dispute, has long emphasised the importance of upholding international law and ensuring freedom of navigation in the region. Then prime minister Lee Hsien Loong once described the waterway as a “vital artery for international trade”, underscoring the city state’s reliance on open sea lanes for its economic prosperity.
The US has grown increasingly vocal in its criticism of Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea, casting them as a threat to regional stability and a rules-based order. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently reaffirmed Washington’s backing for allies such as the Philippines, warning that China’s “unlawful maritime claims” and “destabilising actions” risk undermining peace in the Indo-Pacific.
The embassy’s video is not the first instance of the US relying on a novel outreach targeting those living in Southeast Asia over the long-standing territorial dispute. In the Philippines, its embassy earlier this year collaborated on a comic book titled The Stories of Teacher Jun, designed to counter Beijing’s narrative through simple storytelling and illustrations.
