The Philippines and China are on a fresh collision course following the release of an artificial intelligence-generated cartoon video that portrays Filipinos as monkeys in relation to Manila’s 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
Manila recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its arbitral victory against Beijing on July 12.
That decision saw the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) reject China’s nine-dash line claim over contested territories and waters in the South China Sea.
In the video produced by the state-run China Daily, the monkey was seen wearing a salakot and a Barong Tagalog, both of which have deep cultural symbolism in Filipino society.
It also shows that the United States and Japan are instructing the monkey before it was bombarded with water cannons while holding a paper with the arbitral award.
“Offensive, distressing”
On Thursday, Manila’s Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) criticized the video, stating that it has dehumanizing and racial undertones that Beijing should refrain from using.
“The Philippines has consistently rejected false narratives and distortions regarding the Arbitral Award and the Philippines’ lawful positions in the South China Sea.”
“But 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,” said the DFA in a post on Facebook.
The DFA also urged China to take swift action by removing the video.
“The Philippines demands that the offensive material be taken down, calls for the immediate cessation of such irresponsible content, and urges China to uphold dignity, respect, and truth in public discourse,” the statement said.
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A concerted propaganda effort?
For Filipino civic leader Jose Antonio Goitia, the video seemed part of a larger propaganda effort against the Philippines in connection with the territorial spat between the two neighbouring countries, with some so-called Chinese scholars now claiming that the northernmost part of the archipelago was once part of China.
“They first tried to rewrite our history. When their falsehoods collapsed before the weight of truth, geography, and international law, they turned their sights on the Filipino people. When falsehoods fall apart, propaganda grows louder. And when propaganda fails, it descends into racism,” he said.
Goitia also said that evidence and international law should remain as the focal points of discourse with regard to the disagreements in the South China Sea.
READ MORE BY JAMES AJERO: https://newsjustnews.com/?s=JAMES+AJERO
Adam Peaker 
Mary Mae Balasanos