MANILA, Philippines (AP) 鈥� The Philippine government strongly protested to China what it said was the depiction of Filipinos as monkeys in an editorial video publicized by a Chinese state-owned media outlet, and demanded it be taken down.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said Friday that the series of opinion and editorial videos and cartoons, particularly an animated video posted by the China Daily on its Facebook page on July 10, centered on Beijing鈥檚 rejection of a that invalidated China鈥檚 expansive claims in the disputed South China Sea.
The Philippines initiated the arbitration in 2013, after China seized a west of the Philippines following a tense standoff. China questioned the jurisdiction of the tribunal in The Hague, refused to take part in the proceedings and rejected its ruling as a sham.
China Daily鈥檚 video posted on Facebook shows a monkey holding a piece of paper scribbled with 鈥淪outh China Sea arbitration Award鈥� and wearing what resembles a traditional Philippine shirt with a rural hat and tattered pants. Two hands with sleeves separately marked 鈥淯SA鈥� and 鈥淛apan鈥� later hurl the monkey into the sea, where it鈥檚 blasted away by a water cannon of what looks like a Chinese coast guard ship.
The caption mocks the arbitration ruling by saying that it鈥檚 not a remedy for peace 鈥渂ut a source of confrontation dressed up as law.鈥� It says that 鈥渂y clinging to external forces and stirring up trouble in the South China Sea,鈥� Philippine politicians 鈥渁re turning their country into a pawn in someone else鈥檚 geopolitical game.鈥�
The Philippines initially relayed its 鈥渇irm objection to the offensive content鈥� to Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan in Manila on Thursday. Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Leo Herrera-Lim 鈥渄emanded that the materials be taken down, stressing that such content is inconsistent with the mutual respect expected between states,鈥� the Foreign Affairs Department said.
It said in its protest that 鈥淐hina Daily went beyond legitimate political debate by resorting to demeaning, dehumanizing, and racist depictions of Filipinos.鈥� It added that 鈥渄isagreement over legal and political issues does not justify resorting to imagery that has no place in the public discourse of responsible states.鈥�
The Philippine Embassy in Beijing transmitted a letter to the China Daily鈥檚 editor-in-chief, reiterating Manila鈥檚 demand for the immediate takedown of the offensive material, the department said.
In Beijing, China鈥檚 Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Friday that the video 鈥渄oes not represent the official position and I have no comment on it.鈥�
But he said that China viewed the South China Sea arbitration as “a political farce disguised as a legal proceeding.鈥� He added that 鈥渢he so-called award is illegal, null and void and has no binding force.鈥�
The Philippine government commemorated the anniversary of the July 12, 2016, ruling as a landmark victory of the rule of law against aggression.
The United States, the United Kingdom and a dozen other Western and Asian countries, along with the 27-nation European Union, have also reaffirmed the ruling.
in the disputed waters have become more prevalent in recent years, particularly among Chinese, Philippine and and fishing fleets. The long-simmering disputes in the strategic waterway, a key global trade route, also involve , Brunei and Taiwan.
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Associated Press writer E. Eduardo Castillo in Beijing contributed to this report.
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