By Liz Lagniton | 2026-07-21

The Philippine government has lodged a formal diplomatic protest against China over an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated video by state-run China Daily. The material depicts Filipinos as monkeys, prompting Manila to denounce it as "racist" and "dehumanizing." Officials added that the "unacceptable" attack crossed the line from political commentary into propaganda.

China Daily posted the 58-second AI-generated video on its Facebook account July 10, two days ahead of the 10th anniversary of the landmark July 12, 2016, South China Sea arbitral award. That ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration threw out China's claim to more than 80% of that sea.

The animation, which was still online July 21, portrays the Philippines as a monkey wearing traditional Filipino clothing while figures representing the United States and Japan dictate its actions. It later shows the character thrown into the sea and hit by water cannon fire from a China Coast Guard-like vessel amid mockery of the 2016 arbitral award.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim first demanded the video's removal with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan during a July 16 meeting, Manila's Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The DFA lodged a formal protest the next day, while the Philippine embassy in Beijing separately asked China Daily's editor-in-chief to take it down.

"We draw a firm line at the depiction of Filipinos as monkeys in the July 10 video, which is deeply offensive, distressing, and unacceptable," the DFA said.

It urged China to uphold "dignity, respect and truth in public discourse."

Beijing distances itself

The video did not represent the Chinese government's position, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said following the protest. He nonetheless reiterated Beijing's longstanding rejection of the 2016 ruling against China.

But Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. two days later rejected Beijing's explanation.

"China Daily is state-sponsored, and nothing comes out of China without their government's permission," he said in Tagalog at a defense forum in Batac, Ilocos Norte.

The "contemptible propaganda" validates Manila's standing policy of refraining from ministerial-level and Armed Forces of the Philippines defense engagements with the Chinese Communist Party and its agencies, Teodoro said earlier.

Marcos raises pressure

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. added his own condemnation, his office said July 20.

Marcos viewed and found the video unacceptable, presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro said. No Filipino will accept being depicted as a monkey, Castro said in Tagalog.

The dispute comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected in Manila for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meetings. Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro is expected to confer with Wang on the sidelines of the meetings, DFA spokesperson Dominic Xavier Imperial said.

Widespread disgust, demand for apology

Other Philippine officials voiced their disgust.

"Racist caricatures and manufactured narratives cannot erase legal facts," Security Adviser Eduardo Oban Jr. said. "They only expose the absence of a credible legal answer [to the 2016 ruling]."

The video amounted to "outright racism and mockery of international law," Jay Tarriela, Philippine coast guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said.

"Filipinos are not monkeys!" he tweeted.

The depiction reflected more on Beijing than on Filipinos, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.

"If they see Filipinos as monkeys, then what are they, if behavior and character are the standard?" he said in Tagalog, while urging the Philippines to strengthen its economy and defense posture.

"The Chinese government owes the Filipino people a public apology" for "this utterly racist act," Sen. Risa Hontiveros said.