The publication of an AI-generated video by China Daily that depicts Filipinos as monkeys has sparked outrage in the Philippines, with Manila calling for its immediate removal. The video, posted on Facebook on 10 July 2026, is seen as a dehumanising attempt to mock and belittle the Filipino people, further straining already tense relations between the two nations.
The video shows a monkey dressed in traditional Filipino attire being manipulated by arms symbolising the US and Japan. After being labelled 'stupid', the monkey is shown holding lyrics referring to the 'South China Sea arbitration award' before being thrown into the sea and blasted by a vessel’s water cannon. This inflammatory imagery coincided with Philippine events marking the tenth anniversary of the landmark arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea, a ruling Beijing continues to reject.
Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro denounced the material as 'contemptible propaganda' and a 'disgrace to any State that claims to exercise responsible regional leadership'. He asserted that the episode exposed 'the weakness of a government that resorts to racism, threats, and manufactured hatred because it has utterly failed to defend its ridiculous claims through reason, evidence, or law'. Teodoro further stated that '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.'
The incident has significantly heightened tensions between the Philippines and China, which have been escalating over ongoing disputes in the South China Sea. The latest spat includes repeated confrontations at sea, aggressive manoeuvres by Chinese vessels, and Beijing's imposition of sanctions on Secretary Teodoro. More recently, a dispute arose over a floating barrier installed by China at the entrance of the contested Scarborough Shoal, which was subsequently removed following Philippine protests.
The Philippine foreign ministry reiterated its stance in a statement, declaring, '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.' The Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the video.