CHINA: A Weibo user claiming to be the former assistant of Singaporean actress Eleanor Lee has admitted to fabricating a controversial audio clip that allegedly featured Lee insulting the Chinese people.
Lee, 25, is based in China and is the daughter of Mediacorp veteran Quan Yifong. She has since filed a police report and issued a public clarification.
Despite the confession, many Chinese netizens on social media platform Weibo continue to express doubt about the case’s outcome.
Some calls for transparency and demanding a forensic voiceprint authentication to determine if the voice in the audio was truly Lee’s.
The audio recording was previously believed to have delayed the broadcast of Lee’s television series The Journey of Legend (赴山海), according to QQ News and other Chinese media outlets.
Lee’s former assistant confesses to editing audio, cites unresolved labour dispute as motive
On 21 May 2025, Lee’s former assistant, identified as Xiao Pang, posted an apology statement on Weibo.
In it, the assistant took full responsibility for the fabrication of the audio.
“I am very sorry that my wrong behaviour has caused misunderstandings and even abuse against Eleanor,” wrote Xiao Pang.
Xiao Pang had served as Lee’s executive agent from 2017 to 2019, managing her film and TV projects.
However, unresolved labour disputes remained after the termination of their working relationship.
The assistant admitted to recording Lee’s private conversations without consent and later editing the audio to fabricate content.
The recordings were initially intended to pressure the company during the unresolved dispute.
Between 2019 and 2024, Xiao Pang tried to seek compensation but claimed to have been ignored by the company’s contact person.
Feeling aggrieved, the assistant claimed she released the manipulated audio to a fan group in July 2024.
“I also made up a lot of content on impulse,” Xiao Pang added, acknowledging that the action led to severe reputational harm for Lee.
The statement also attempted to clear Lee’s name, describing her as “positive, hardworking and talented,” and claiming that she never made anti-China comments.
“She never said, nor could she say, the insulting words I edited and synthesised,” the assistant noted.
Lee reaffirms strong ties to China amid backlash
Lee responded to the development on Instagram on 21 May, confirming she had filed a police report and was cooperating with authorities.
She also reiterated her strong ties with China.
“I was born in Taiwan, China, and returned to China to study and live at the age of 16,” said Lee.
“It has been ten years since then. My feelings and positions on China have never wavered.”
The controversy began when a 31-second audio clip surfaced on Weibo.
In the recording, a woman could be heard saying she was “doing this not for fame, but for money,” and expressing frustration over negative publicity by claiming, “most people in China are idiots.”
The speaker continued, “All that matters is that there are movies to be filmed and money to be made. What else can I do?”
She added, “When it is over, I still get criticised, just because most Chinese nationals are idiots.”
On 10 May, Lee publicly refuted the allegations, firmly stating that the voice in the clip was not hers.
View this post on Instagram
Netizens demand forensic proof and official verification
However, online discourse remains contentious.
Many netizens demanded that forensic analysis be carried out to validate the assistant’s confession.
Comments such as “Where is the voiceprint report?” and “Public Security Bureau should release an official statement” were widely shared on Weibo.
Others questioned the authenticity of the confession itself, suggesting that public trust would only be restored if law enforcement issued an official forensic report.
“If there’s a forensic report from the authorities, we’ll believe it. Otherwise, it’s just your word against her,” one user wrote.
“Bring out the voiceprint analysis then. Where’s the original edited audio material? Who would believe your personal statement without evidence?”
“If the police issues a statement, then we’ll believe it.”
A China and US intellectual property attorney based in Guangdong commented on Xiaohongshu, outlining the legal requirements for authenticating audio evidence.
He noted that anyone submitting such evidence must provide the original recording device.
This includes the original audio file, with metadata such as timestamps, device information, and editing history intact.
The lawyer emphasised that police can conduct waveform and silence analysis to detect manipulation and that such technical checks were essential in ensuring the credibility of the evidence.
He confirmed that Lee had filed a police report and that the assistant was summoned for questioning, during which the assistant admitted to fabricating the audio.
The lawyer further suggested that Lee has grounds to initiate a criminal defamation suit. If pursued, the court could provide a formal ruling to clear her name.
According to him, the defamatory act originated from unresolved labour disputes and might be addressed both in court and under employment law. Any rightful compensation would need to be settled accordingly.
Meanwhile, many netizens have urged Lee to press defamation charges against the assistant to formally close the case and restore her public image.
One widely liked comment read: “Support her in suing. The damage from such fabrications is too serious.”
The post Eleanor Lee’s ex-assistant admits to fabricating audio, but Chinese netizens remain sceptical appeared first on The Online Citizen.
