SINGAPORE, 5 August 2005 - In response to media queries, Singapore Press Holdings, which publishes The Straits Times, issued the following statement:

"We have been informed by the Chinese Embassy in Singapore that Ching Cheong, the chief China correspondent of The Straits Times, has been formally charged with spying for Taiwan. We have no further details beyond what has been released in the Xinhua News Agency report this morning.

"We have made another request to have access to Ching Cheong and to seek legal representation for him. The Chinese Embassy said it would convey our request to the Beijing authorities."

Issued by Singapore Press Holdings
Co. Regn. No: 198402868E

For more infomation, please contact:

Irene Ngoo
Vice President
Corporate Relations
DID: 65-6319 1216
FAX: 65-6319 8150
Email: ingoo@sph.com

About Singapore Press Holdings
Main board listed Singapore Press Holdings Limited is the leading media company in Singapore, in the print, Internet and broadcasting platforms. It publishes 13 newspapers in the four official languages and more than 70 magazine titles. Everyday, 2.78 million individuals, or 90 per cent of people above 15 years old, read one of the SPH publications. Its Internet Business Unit manages the online editions of SPH's major newspapers and magazines, which together enjoy over 250 million pageviews a month. SPH also owns a 20% stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile, and a 40% stake in MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd, which publishes free newspaper Today. It also operates two entertainment radio channels, UFM 100.3 FM in Chinese and WKRZ 91.3 FM in English, under a joint venture company UnionWorks with NTUC Media.