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🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

Philippines condemns China Daily's 'racist' video depicting Filipinos as monkeys

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Philippines has strongly condemned China Daily for releasing a racist AI-generated video depicting Filipinos as monkeys.
  • The video, posted on July 10, coincided with the 10th anniversary of a ruling invalidating China's South China Sea claims.
  • Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro called the video "contemptible propaganda" and a sign of China's "moral and intellectual bankruptcy."

The Philippines has issued a strong condemnation of state-run China Daily for publishing an AI-generated video that depicted Filipinos as monkeys, labeling the imagery as "racist," "offensive, distressing and unacceptable." The Department of Foreign Affairs stated that such dehumanizing propaganda crosses a firm line and demanded the video, posted on China Daily's Facebook account on July 10, be removed.

The recent spate of schizophrenic behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party is too clear to disregard or to ignore. This latest act of dehumanization further reveals them as neither a secure and confident actor nor a trustworthy neighbour.

— Gilberto TeodoroPhilippine Defense Secretary commenting on China's actions.

The controversial video portrayed a monkey dressed in Filipino attire, seemingly directed by figures representing the United States and Japan. The monkey is shown pulling a sheet of lyrics bearing the words "South China Sea arbitration award" before being thrown into the sea and blasted by a vessel's water cannon. This imagery appeared to mock the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's extensive claims in the South China Sea, a ruling Beijing rejects.

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.

— Gilberto TeodoroPhilippine Defense Secretary criticizing the video's content and implications.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro denounced the video as "contemptible propaganda" and "a disgrace." He argued that the video exposed the "weakness of a government that resorts to racism, threats, and manufactured hatred" because it failed to defend its claims with reason or evidence. Teodoro further stated that the mockery of the arbitral award and the glorification of violence against Filipinos reveal the "moral and intellectual bankruptcy of China's propaganda machine."

We draw a firm line at the depiction of Filipinos as monkeys in the 10 July 2026 video, which is deeply offensive, distressing, and unacceptable.

— Philippine foreign ministryThe ministry's statement condemning the video.

This incident occurs amid already strained relations between the Philippines and China, primarily due to ongoing tensions in the South China Sea. Recent confrontations include aggressive maneuvers by Chinese vessels, Beijing imposing sanctions, and the installation and subsequent removal of a floating barrier near Scarborough Shoal. Teodoro characterized the Chinese Communist Party's recent actions as "schizophrenic behaviour" and stated that this latest act of dehumanization shows China is neither a secure, confident, nor trustworthy actor in the region.

contemptible propaganda

— Gilberto TeodoroPhilippine Defense Secretary describing the video.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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