Singapore's ambassador to China has accused a major state-run Chinese newspaper of fabricating a report about Singapore's position on the South China Sea, but the paper stuck by its story.

The Global Times said on Sept. 21 that at a summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Venezuela, Singapore had raised the issue of the disputed waterway and an international tribunal's ruling in favor of the Philippines in a case it lodged against Chinese claims.

The influential tabloid, published by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, said Singapore's attempt was foiled by the opposition of "many" other countries.