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Ashton Ng

Ashton Ng

Assistant Professor, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Dr Ashton Ng is an assistant professor at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou, China. His research focuses on Chinese political thought and the governance of artificial intelligence. He completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge on a Kuok Family–Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship, holds an MSt with Distinction from the University of Oxford and graduated from Peking University. He is a former Young NUS Fellow.

Articles by Ashton Ng

Society

In Singapore, a woman knew her harasser. In China, 20 women never met theirs

Who should stop an online crowd? Singapore’s new Online Safety Commission helps victims get harmful posts taken down and find out who harmed them. China’s draft Anti-Cyberviolence Law would make platforms slow a crowd turning on someone before anyone complains. Victims need both, argues academic Ashton Ng. Platforms see the crowd first and should act first. But the crowd is made of individuals, and each of us can refuse to join it.

Ashton Ng

02 Oct 2026

Technology

China bans AI companions from pleasing you too much. Should Singapore?

Millions in China lost their AI confidants overnight. Days later in Singapore, chatbots were asked to introduce themselves. Behind the two responses lies a question kings once faced: what do you do about a servant who never disagrees with you? Academic Ashton Ng ponders the question.

Ashton Ng

20 Aug 2026