The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a formal diplomatic protest Friday, July 17, 2026, over a racist AI-generated video from China Daily [1].
The incident marks a significant escalation in the diplomatic friction between Manila and Beijing, as the use of dehumanizing imagery by state-affiliated media complicates existing territorial disputes.
The Philippine government said the content was racist and dehumanizing [2]. The video, which appeared on the Facebook page of China Daily [3], depicted Filipinos as monkeys. Some reports further specify that the AI-generated content showed a monkey forced to sing claims regarding the South China Sea [4].
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the content specifically referenced the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award [5]. This legal ruling previously invalidated China's expansive claims over the region, a point of contention that continues to strain relations between the two nations.
Manila has demanded the immediate removal of the video and any associated editorial cartoons that portray Filipinos as animals [6]. The protest was lodged through the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila to ensure the Chinese government is aware of the offense caused by its state media apparatus [3].
While the video was reported by some outlets on July 18, the formal protest was lodged on July 17 [1], [7]. The Philippine government said such portrayals are unacceptable in modern diplomatic discourse and violate basic standards of international respect.
“The Philippine government condemned the content as racist and dehumanizing.”
This incident reflects the intersection of geopolitical tension and emerging technology. By using AI to generate dehumanizing imagery, China Daily has moved beyond traditional diplomatic disagreements into a realm of racial provocation. This likely hardens public sentiment in the Philippines and increases the political cost for any future bilateral compromise regarding the South China Sea.
