SPH launches China-focused English e-magazine ThinkChina

Singapore

THE ongoing tensions between the United States and China are not just about trade, but also global influence and China's place in the new international order, according to a senior minister; and how the story unfolds will have enormous implications for Singapore and the rest of the world.

"However, China's complexity makes it a challenging country to define and report on," said Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, during the launch of a China-focused English-language e-magazine ThinkChina (www.thinkchina.sg).

"What we read can also be shaped by the ideological starting points of the writers and what writers wish will happen," he said.

To that end, Mr Teo said Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao and ThinkChina, which are both published by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), are well-positioned to bridge this gap.

ThinkChina curates and translates China-related content from Zaobao, SPH's flagship Chinese newspaper which has been covering the growth and development of China for decades.

Aimed at businessmen, academics and students with a keen interest in China, it will also feature exclusive contributions from China experts in various fields such as politics, economics, business and culture.

Eminent scholar and historian Wang Gungwu from the National University of Singapore set the tone of the launch with a keynote speech on the meaning of revolution and reform throughout ancient China, drawing parallels with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's pivotal role in consolidating the 1911 and 1949 revolutions.

Prof Wang and scholars at the East Asian Institute will share their China insights with ThinkChina and its readers from time to time, said Lee Huay Leng, head of SPH's Chinese Media Group, in an opening address.

Ms Lee said a tradition among Zaobao's China-based correspondents is to portray China from the unique perspective of a Chinese newspaper from Singapore.

"We want to give English language readers a sense of the China that we know," she said.

Chow Yian Ping, editor of ThinkChina, told The Business Times that some of the featured Chinese writers have a huge following in the Greater China region, but are not known in the English-speaking world.

"We're hoping that we can bridge this gap and bring their voices across to the English community," she said.

From Oct 2, The Business Times will also feature curated articles from ThinkChina in its print and online editions.