Philippines Condemns Chinese State Media AI Video Depicting Nation as Singing Monkey

The Philippine government has issued a sharp condemnation of an animated video, produced by Chinese state media outlet China Daily, which depicts the Philippines as a monkey singing about its territorial claims in the South China Sea. The video, which leverages artificial intelligence technology, features a computer-generated monkey wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with 'PH' for Philippines.

The animated monkey performs a song asserting Beijing's extensive claims over the disputed maritime territory, a clear and provocative piece of state-backed propaganda. Manila's Foreign Affairs Undersecretary, Ma. Theresa Lazaro, labelled the video as 'racist' and 'dehumanising', stating it was a 'blatant insult to the Filipino people'. Lazaro further emphasised that such content 'has no place in the civilised world' and 'only serves to fuel hatred'.

This incident marks a further deterioration in the diplomatic relations between the two nations, particularly concerning the South China Sea where China maintains expansive and largely unsupported claims. The deployment of AI-generated content in this manner represents a new frontier in state-sponsored information warfare, seeking to demean and delegitimise opposing viewpoints through manufactured, derogatory imagery rather than substantive engagement. China's consistent use of its state media apparatus to aggressively push its geopolitical narratives, often with a dismissive or derisive tone towards those who challenge them, underscores a broader strategy of asserting dominance through information control and psychological operations.