Racist China Daily video offends APCU, calls for “greater media responsibility”
A VIDEO clip last July 10 released by China’s state-controlled media outfit, China Daily, has succeeded in offending even the Philippines’ premier organization that is trying to build closer relationship and better understanding between the two countries.
Atty. Raul Lambino, chairman and president of the Association for Philippines China Understanding (APCU), said the group “firmly rejects any form of content, communication, or conduct that resorts to ridicule, stereotyping, or dehumanization of any nationality.”
The video clip, “Litter on Waves: Failed Maritime Karaoke,” was released last July 10, in time for the 10th commemoration of the ‘2016 Arbitral Award’ of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague.
The date has been marked by pro-American groups in the Philippines as an occasion to intensify their demonization of China and convinced Filipinos that the PCA’s decision is a “victory” for the Philippines.
The video portrayed the Filipinos as a “monkey” taking its order from Washington and Tokyo.
“The AI-Generated contents released by China Daily regarding the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, showed offensive portrayals of the Filipino people.
“These publications undermine the standards of respect, civility, and constructive dialogue, particularly at a time when meaningful engagements are essential to preserving peace and understanding,” Lambino said.
Since 2021, the APCU has been in the forefront of creating closer understanding and better relationship between the Philippines and China.
Its ‘Award to Promote Philippines and China Understanding’ has become a much-awaited annual event where Filipinos and Fil-Chinese from all walks of life are recognized for their respective role to bring peace and harmony between the two countries thru people-to-people diplomacy, cultural exchanges, scholarship grants, and equitable trade and economic opportunities.
“Throughout this time, APCU has remained committed to promoting friendship and understanding between the Filipino and Chinese peoples through academic and cultural people-to-people exchanges,” Lambino continued.
“We have witnessed that lasting relationships are built not on provocation, but on open dialogue, respect, and appreciation of our shared humanity.
“We therefore call on all media organizations and institutions to exercise greater responsibility in the creation and dissemination of public content.
“Media organizations have the duty to uphold the dignity of all nationalities and to avoid narratives that perpetuate hatred and harmful stereotypes,” Lambino added.
PH dramatic foreign policy shift
Although President Marcos Junior graced two of the APCU’s awarding ceremonies in 2022 and 2023, his foreign policy has dramatically and openly shifted towards the pro-war and anti-China policy of the United States.
Aside from giving the US four more military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) directed against the Chinese mainland, the Philippines also entered into military agreements with America’s closest Pacific subalterns like Australia and Japan despite Japan’s horrific record of atrocities and documented war crimes against both Filipinos and Chinese during World War 2.
President Marcos and Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner also conceded that the Philippines would be involved in a war against China over the issue of Taiwan, a Chinese province being used by the United States to destabilize China.
Since his pivot towards adopting all US foreign policy objectives in early 2023, President Marcos has not also even once censured America’s most rabid anti-China attack dogs in his administration, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Jay Tarriela.
Tarriela was even promoted last February from Commodore to Rear Admiral of the Philippine Coastguard, a promotion seen in Beijing as a “reward” and a signal that Manila supports and promotes anyone taking a hardline stand against China.
A month before his promotion, Tarriela ignited a diplomatic crisis when he insulted Chinese President Xi Jinping thru a caricature during a lecture at a university in Manila.
“Insulting an entire nation”
But if China and even most Filipinos were offended by Tarriela’s brazenness, Prof. Anna Malindug Uy, a respected global political analyst and APCU secretary general, also aired offense over the China Daily video clip.
In her column at The Manila Times last July 18, Uy said the video clip is state media propaganda that insulted Filipinos as a whole.
“(Beijing) has consistently rejected the arbitral award, refused to participate in the proceedings and described the ruling as illegal, invalid and politically manipulated.
“But depicting Filipinos, or an entire nation, as monkeys? That is not a legal argument.
“That is not sophisticated statecraft. That is not even intelligent propaganda.
“It is childish, offensive and strategically self-defeating, most of all discriminatory and racist, to say the least,” Uy noted.
“China may denounce some or many Philippine officials whom it regards as anti-China. It may criticize those who appear determined to turn the Philippines into a platform for American military operations.
“But it does not follow that an entire country/nation should be degraded because of the actions of particular leaders, officials or political groups,” she explained further, stressing:
“Not every Filipino is anti-China. Not every Filipino supports the Marcos administration’s foreign policy.
“Not every Filipino wants the Philippines transformed into a frontline state in a possible conflict involving China, Taiwan or the United States, or even the disputed SCS,” Uy clarified.
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