The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest after a China Daily AI video depicted Filipinos as monkeys, calling it racist propaganda and demanding its removal as the row deepens already dangerous tensions over the South China Sea.
A diplomatic row between China and the Philippines has intensified after Manila lodged a formal protest over an AI-generated video posted by state-run China Daily depicting Filipinos as monkeys. The Philippine government condemned the imagery as racist, demanded its removal and accused Beijing of crossing a line as the propaganda controversy collided with the 10th anniversary of the landmark South China Sea arbitration ruling, adding fresh tension to an already volatile maritime dispute marked by repeated confrontations, sharp political exchanges and growing regional security concerns centred on China.
The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing after an AI-generated video posted by state-run China Daily depicted Filipinos as monkeys.
Manila condemned the imagery as racist and demanded the video’s immediate removal. The dispute has opened a fresh front in already strained relations over the South China Sea.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that it had formally protested to Beijing. In a strongly worded statement, it said the government drew “a firm line” at the depiction of Filipinos as monkeys. The ministry described the imagery as “deeply offensive, distressing, and unacceptable.”
Philippines lodges formal protest after China Daily video depicts Filipinos as monkeys in racist imagery
It added that disagreements over legal and political issues did not justify such material. Instead, it said the images had no place in the public discourse of responsible states. Consequently, Manila branded the production “contemptible propaganda” and demanded that it be removed from public platforms.
The AI-generated video appeared on China Daily’s Facebook account on July 10. Notably, the timing coincided with Philippine events marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.
That landmark decision invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims across the strategic waterway. Beijing, however, has consistently rejected both the tribunal’s jurisdiction and its ruling.
The video depicts a monkey wearing Filipino clothing. It is directed by arms representing the United States and Japan on what to sing. After being called “stupid,” the monkey grabs a sheet bearing the words “South China Sea arbitration award.”
It is then thrown into the sea before being blasted by a vessel’s water cannon. The sequence directly references the territorial dispute that has dominated relations between the two countries for years.
Video mocked South China Sea ruling before monkey was thrown into the sea and blasted by ship
In response, China’s foreign ministry sought to distance the central government from the controversy. A spokesperson said the video did not officially represent China. Beyond that statement, the ministry declined further comment. Separately, the Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro issued an equally forceful condemnation. He described the production as “contemptible propaganda.” He also called it “a disgrace to any State that claims to exercise responsible regional leadership.”
Furthermore, Teodoro said the episode exposed “the weakness of a government that resorts to racism, threats, and manufactured hatred because it has utterly failed to defend its ridiculous claims through reason, evidence, or law.”
He also criticised the video’s treatment of the 2016 arbitral ruling. Moreover, he condemned what he described as its glorification of violence against Filipinos and Philippine soldiers. Teodoro said the production mocked a lawful international decision while encouraging hostility.
China distances itself as defence chief condemns propaganda and attacks over South China Sea ruling
He added: “This mockery of the lawful 2016 Arbitral Award and the video’s glorification of violence against the Filipino people and soldiers expose the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of China’s propaganda machine.”
The latest dispute comes amid sustained tensions across the South China Sea. Chinese and Philippine vessels have repeatedly confronted each other in disputed waters.
Both governments have exchanged accusations over aggressive manoeuvres during maritime encounters. Those incidents have become increasingly frequent as both sides continue to assert competing territorial claims.
On another front, Beijing previously imposed sanctions on Teodoro over his public criticism of China.
Scarborough Shoal barrier row adds to mounting disputes as Manila presses Beijing to remove video
More recently, another confrontation emerged around Scarborough Shoal. China installed a floating barrier at the entrance to the disputed shoal. Philippine officials protested immediately. The barrier was later removed following those objections.
As part of its diplomatic response, Manila argued that political and legal disagreements could never justify racist or dehumanising portrayals.
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The foreign ministry said responsible states should uphold acceptable standards in public discourse regardless of policy differences. For that reason, it formally demanded the video’s removal and conveyed its objections directly to Beijing.
For its part, China’s foreign ministry limited its response to distancing the government from the video. It offered no indication that the material would be removed.
The incident has nevertheless added another diplomatic confrontation to an already volatile relationship shaped by maritime disputes, competing legal claims and repeated clashes in the South China Sea.
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