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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DFA files protest over China Daily's racist depiction of Filipinos

DFA files protest over China Daily's racist depiction of Filipinos

Published Jul 17, 2026 01:11 pm

At A Glance

  • The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has formally protested China Daily's publication of videos and editorial cartoons depicting Filipinos in a racist manner in relation to the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
  • Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim raised the issue directly with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan and demanded the immediate removal of the offensive content.
  • The Philippines said the materials undermine mutual respect between states and warned that such content only deepens distrust between Manila and Beijing.
Screenshots from China Daily/DFA
Screenshots from China Daily/DFA

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has formally protested China Daily’s publication of videos and editorial cartoons depicting Filipinos in a racist manner, demanding the immediate removal of the materials and calling the content inconsistent with the mutual respect expected between states.

In a statement on Friday, July 17, the DFA said it first conveyed the Philippines’ strong objection on July 16 when Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim raised the issue directly with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan during a face-to-face meeting.

Herrera-Lim demanded that the Chinese state-owned media outlet take down the offensive materials, stressing that they are incompatible with efforts to maintain “the sound and stable management of bilateral relations” between the Philippines and China.

The department said it has since lodged a formal diplomatic protest condemning China Daily’s publication of op-ed videos and editorial cartoons on the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, particularly a video posted on the outlet’s Facebook page on July 10.

According to the DFA, China Daily went beyond legitimate political debate by resorting to “demeaning, dehumanizing, and racist depictions of Filipinos.”

The department reiterated that while the Philippines has consistently rejected what it described as false narratives and distortions regarding the landmark arbitral ruling and the country’s lawful position in the South China Sea, disagreements over legal and political issues do not justify imagery that has no place in the public discourse of responsible states.

It also warned that the offensive content only serves to widen distrust between the Philippines and China, urging Beijing to uphold dignity, respect, and truth in public discourse.

The DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Beijing also sent a formal letter to China Daily’s editor-in-chief reiterating Manila’s demand for the immediate removal of the materials.

The latest diplomatic protest follows an earlier DFA statement condemning China Daily for publishing AI-generated videos and editorial cartoons that depicted Filipinos as monkeys in connection with the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, describing the content as “deeply offensive, distressing, and unacceptable.”

The controversy also drew strong condemnation from Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who earlier described the video as racist propaganda that revealed “what the Chinese communist apparatus thinks of the Filipino people” and exposed the “moral and intellectual bankruptcy of China’s propaganda machine.”

Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson on West Philippine Sea concerns, likewise denounced the video, saying racism has no place in modern society and declaring that “Filipinos are not monkeys.”

The diplomatic protest comes days after the Philippines and several partner countries marked the 10th anniversary of the landmark July 12, 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea and which Manila continues to uphold as final and legally binding despite Beijing’s rejection of the decision.

The DFA said it remains committed to dialogue and diplomacy in its engagement with China but “will not hesitate to call out discriminatory and offensive rhetoric wherever it appears.”

Related Tags

DFA PH-China diplomatic protest South China Sea West Philippine Sea arbitral award
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