Manila Lodges Diplomatic Protest Over China Daily’s Depiction of Filipinos as Monkeys

The Philippines has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with China following the publication of a series of videos by state-backed newspaper China Daily that depicted Filipinos as monkeys. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) condemned the content as a "racist depiction" that was demeaning and dehumanising, stating that the material had gone "beyond political debate."

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro raised the issue directly with China’s ambassador to the Philippines, while the department issued a statement outlining the government’s position. The DFA emphasised that the portrayal crossed established diplomatic and ethical boundaries, urging a return to respectful discourse between the two nations.

In a parallel move, the Philippine embassy in Beijing published an open letter addressed to the editor of China Daily. The letter cited a breach of editorial norms and principles, urging the publication to uphold dignity, respect, and truth in its public discourse. The embassy’s intervention highlighted the severity with which Manila views the incident, framing it not merely as a journalistic error but as a breach of professional standards.

China Daily, which describes itself as China’s most-read English-language newspaper, claims a combined audience of more than 470 million people. The videos were shared on the outlet’s Facebook page, which boasts more than 110 million followers. The publication of the content coincided with the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, an international tribunal ruling that found China’s sweeping claims in the disputed waters had no legal basis under international law.

The dispute centres on features including the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, both of which are claimed by China and the Philippines. The South China Sea is estimated to hold 11 billion barrels of untapped oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Tensions have remained high, with repeated confrontations between Chinese coastguard vessels and Philippine ships, including collisions and the use of water cannon that Manila says have endangered its personnel and fishermen.

The Philippines has received diplomatic backing from the United States and other allies, including Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. In a joint statement released this month, these countries reaffirmed their support for the tribunal’s findings, describing them as legally binding and definitive. They warned against unilateral actions, including the use of force or coercion, that threaten peace and stability in the region.

At the time of publication, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China Daily had not issued a public response to the Philippine protest.