Manila protests ‘racist’ portrayal of Filipinos in China Daily videos

The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest with China over state-backed China Daily videos that depicted Filipinos as monkeys. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stated the videos were a "demeaning, dehumanizing, and racist depiction" that went beyond political debate. This incident occurs amid ongoing tensions between the two nations over sovereignty in the South China Sea, particularly following a 2016 international tribunal ruling that favored the Philippines, which China rejects. Philippine officials raised the issue directly with China's ambassador and formally condemned the videos, urging China Daily to uphold dignity and respect in its publications. The videos were shared on platforms like Facebook, reaching a large audience.

The Philippines has condemned a recent AI-generated video posted by China Daily that depicted the Philippines as a monkey being forced to assert claims to the South China Sea. The video shows a monkey in a Filipino shirt being pushed by arms bearing US and Japanese flags onto a stage, where it is then thrown into the sea and blasted by a water cannon after presenting a document related to the South China Sea arbitration award. Manila's foreign ministry called the portrayal "dehumanizing and racist," stating that such imagery is inappropriate for civil discourse and increases distrust between the two nations. The incident occurs amidst escalating tensions and confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea. The Philippines has demanded the removal of the video.