The Tiktok CEO had to repeatedly reply that he is Singaporean when incessantly asked if he was a Chinese citizen or if he had ever applied to be one.
Even after saying he had “served his nation [Singapore] and her military for two and a half years”, the senator pressed on.
At one point, Shou Zi appeared to be slightly bemused when asked if he was ever a member or associated with the Chinese Communist Party.
“Senator, again no I’m Singaporean,”
Neither Singapore nor China allows dual citizenship.
Though the hearing went on to ask other questions about the Chinese government, a clip of Shou Zi replying “Singapore” or “Singaporean” again and again soon went viral.
Singaporean netizens took national pride in Shou Zi’s direct responses with many criticising the senator’s racist tone of questioning.
“He [Shou Zi] really showed the world how calm he is when dealing with a dimwit,” wrote a user.
Another commented, “He should have replied ‘ORD Lo!’.
“My preschooler can ask smarter questions than this clown of a senator,” read one of the comments.
However, not everyone was enamoured by Shou Zi’s replies and said the senator was not so much a racist but employing an investigative tactic to try and catch him in the bluff.