Manila files formal protest over China Daily's AI-generated 'monkey' video targeting Filipinos

The Philippines has formally protested against China Daily for releasing an AI-generated video that depicted Filipinos as a monkey, calling the material racist and dehumanizing. The Defense Secretary and the Department of Foreign Affairs both condemned the state-run outlet's propaganda piece, which was posted on Facebook around July 10, according to multiple reports.

"The Chinese Communist Party’s schizophrenic behavior is a disgrace to the ideals of regional leadership."

RAPPLERPhilippines tells Beijing: Take down ‘irresponsible, racist’ China Daily video

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. made the comment as he denounced the video, which showed a monkey wearing Filipino attire being directed by arms representing the United States and Japan, reported chinastrategy.org. The DFA issued a formal protest, stating that the depiction is "offensive, distressing and unacceptable," according to Push.

2 sources

PushRacist Chinese state media video depicting the Philippines as a 'monkey' draws outragechinastrategy.orgPhilippines demands ‘racist’ Chinese state media video depicting Filipinos as monkeys be taken down

"A monkey being forced to sing its claims to the South China Sea."

BBC NewsPhilippines condemns Chinese media depicting it as monkey in AI video

That description from BBC News captures the central imagery of the video, which references the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. The controversy comes weeks before Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's planned visit to Manila for high-level ASEAN meetings, Rappler noted.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to requests for comment, chinastrategy.org reported. The Philippines has demanded that China Daily take down the video, which Manila characterizes as an irresponsible and racist attempt to dehumanize Filipinos amid ongoing tensions over maritime claims.