Philippines Protests Racist AI Video Published by China Daily

The Government of the Philippines lodged a formal diplomatic protest against China following the July 10 publication of an AI-generated video by the state-owned China Daily. The video depicts Filipinos as monkeys in traditional attire being manipulated by the United States and Japan and blasted by a water cannon after presenting a document referencing the 2016 South China Sea arbitration award.

Philippine officials, including Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo S.L. Oban Jr., condemned the content as racist, demeaning, and dehumanizing. They argued the imagery reveals China's lack of legal legitimacy and characterized the act as contemptible propaganda. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese ambassador to demand the immediate removal of the video.

This diplomatic clash coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling, which invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea. While China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated the video does not represent the state's official position, other Chinese officials, including defense spokesperson Jiang Bin, reiterated that the 2016 award is a political farce with no legal force. Tensions remain high in the region, particularly around the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, where the Chinese Coast Guard continues to use water cannons against Philippine vessels.