MANILA – The Philippine government has lodged a formal diplomatic protest against China over an editorial video published by Chinese state-owned media outlet China Daily that allegedly portrayed Filipinos as monkeys, calling the material “demeaning, dehumanizing, and racist” and demanding its immediate removal.
In a statement issued Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it formally conveyed its “firm objection” to Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan during a meeting in Manila on Thursday. The protest centered on an animated opinion video posted on China Daily’s Facebook page on July 10, along with related editorial cartoons criticizing the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling. According to the DFA, the content crossed the line from political commentary to racial discrimination.
The video reportedly depicts a monkey wearing clothing resembling traditional Filipino attire while holding a paper labeled “South China Sea Arbitration Award.” During the animation, hands marked “USA” and “Japan” throw the monkey into the sea, where it is blasted by a water cannon resembling that of a Chinese Coast Guard vessel. The accompanying narration and caption argue that the arbitration ruling has become “a source of confrontation dressed up as law” and accuse Philippine leaders of allowing the country to become a pawn of foreign powers.
Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim demanded that the offensive materials be taken down, emphasizing that they are “inconsistent with the mutual respect expected between states.” The DFA said the Philippines also instructed its embassy in Beijing to send a formal letter to China Daily’s editor-in-chief reiterating Manila’s request for the immediate removal of the video and related content.
“The China Daily materials went beyond legitimate political debate by resorting to demeaning, dehumanizing, and racist depictions of Filipinos,” the DFA said in its protest. It added that disagreements over legal and political issues should never justify imagery that has no place in responsible public discourse between nations.
Responding in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the video “does not represent the official position” of the Chinese government and declined to comment further on the content. However, he reiterated Beijing’s long-standing position that the 2016 South China Sea arbitration was “a political farce disguised as a legal proceeding,” maintaining that the ruling is “illegal, null and void” and has no binding effect on China.
The dispute stems from a landmark decision issued on July 12, 2016, by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The tribunal ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines, finding that China’s sweeping “nine-dash line” claim over most of the South China Sea had no legal basis under international law. China refused to participate in the arbitration proceedings and has consistently rejected the award.
The Philippine government recently marked the ninth anniversary of the arbitral ruling, describing it as a landmark affirmation of international law and the rules-based order. The ruling has since been reaffirmed by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and several other countries that have called on all parties to comply with international law and maintain freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing have remained high in recent years due to repeated confrontations between their coast guards and fishing vessels in disputed areas of the South China Sea, particularly around Second Thomas Shoal, Scarborough Shoal, and other contested maritime features. The strategic waterway is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes and is also claimed in part by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
