SPH Media’s Focus Publishing launches “ThinkNanyang” — A new imprint for Chinese-language academic research
Singapore, 16 November 2025 – Focus Publishing, part of SPH Media’s Chinese Media Group, has launched “ThinkNanyang” (思想南洋) — a new academic imprint dedicated to advancing Chinese-language research in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
ThinkNanyang aims to establish a specialised platform to promote influential scholarly works and foster interdisciplinary discourse in the humanities. The imprint will focus on subjects related to the Chinese diaspora, including culture, society, history, and philosophy.
An advisory committee comprising distinguished academics will oversee a rigorous review process to ensure the publication of high-quality works supported by the latest research from universities and leading scholars. The committee is made up of prominent scholars from both Singapore and the international community:
- Prof Wang Gungwu, University Professor, National University of Singapore
- Prof David Wang Der-wei, Edward C. Henderson Professor of Chinese Literature and Comparative Literature, Harvard University
- Prof Wong Sin Kiong, Professor at the Department of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore
- Prof Ong Chang Woei, Raffles Professor of Humanities & Head of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore
- Dr Ko Chia Cian, Deputy Head at the Department of Chinese Literature, and Chair of the Centre for Taiwan Studies, National Taiwan University
Ms Lee Huay Leng, Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese Media Group, SPH Media, said, “When we think about Singapore’s role in the world and its unique strengths, we should not view it purely through the lens of profit and loss. The Chinese Media Group has always believed that we are more than just a news organisation. We are a vital part of preserving Singapore’s cultural and historical ecosystem. That is why I told the Focus Publishing team: let’s find a way to make this happen.” She acknowledged that while this may sound idealistic, the complexity of this endeavour demands such idealism to propel it forward, step by step.
The inaugural publication of ThinkNanyang: The Collected Works of Lee Guan Kin was unveiled during the launch ceremony. Dr Lee Guan Kin is a distinguished historian and the Founding Head of the Division of Chinese, and the former Director and Senior Distinguished Research Fellow of the Centre for Chinese Language and Culture at Nanyang Technological University. Her remarkable academic legacy is captured in the five-volume collection, comprising two monographs and three volumes of essays. The collection retails at $272 or $38 per volume at leading bookstores and online at SPH Media’s e-commerce platform, ZShop (zshop.zaobao.sg).
A panel discussion featuring Mr Heng Swee Keat, former Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Research Foundation, Prof Wang Gungwu, Prof David Wang Der-wei, Prof Ong Chang Woei, and Ms Lee Huay Leng also explored topics centred on “Nanyang” during the launch ceremony.
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