Singapore's Ambassador to China on Tuesday accused a leading Chinese state-owned newspaper of falsely reporting that Singapore had taken an anti-Chinese stance on the South China Sea dispute at a recent summit. However, the newspaper has stood by its story.

"Contrary to the claim fabricated by the Global Times, the Singapore delegation did not raise the South China Sea or the tribunal ruling at the [Non-Aligned Movement] NAM Summit," wrote Stanley Loh, Singapore's ambassador to Beijing, in a letter to Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin.

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The Singaporean ambassador added that we feel disappointed that "an established newspaper published this irresponsible report replete with fabrications and unfounded allegations with no regard for the facts."  

However, The Global Times editor-in-chief has defended the article on the newspaper's official Weibe account, adding he completely stands by the story. Hu said that his sources are "serious and reliable" and the report was thoroughly accurate, so he would not accept ambassador's accusations. 

The article in question was published in The Global Times on September 21. It claimed that Singapore raised the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling, which dismissed Beijing's historical claim to the disputed maritime territory, at the recent summit.

The influential English newspaper further claimed that Singapore's attempt to embarrass China was undone by an opposition bloc formed by several other countries.

Although Singapore is not a direct party to the South China Sea dispute, experts say that it has strategic and diplomatic interests in the maritime territory. Over the years, the country has sided with China's rival claimants such as Vietnam and the Philippines. Besides, Singapore 's growing proximity with the U.S. is reportedly making China's leadership highly uncomfortable.

Frustrated with Singapore taking sides with rival claimants, a top Chinese diplomat had warned the country to stay away from the South China Sea dispute. The warning was sounded during an Association of SouthEast Asian Nations Summit in August in Inner Mongolia.   

TagsSouth China Sea, Singapore, Singapore and China, The Global Times, china