The Philippine government has lodged a diplomatic protest with China after state-run newspaper China Daily published videos that Manila described as racist and offensive toward Filipinos.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the videos went beyond political commentary and portrayed Filipinos in a derogatory manner, using stereotypes and imagery that the government said promoted racial discrimination and hatred.
Philippine authorities said they formally conveyed their concerns to the Chinese ambassador in Manila and submitted an official diplomatic note. The Philippine Embassy in Beijing also urged China Daily to remove the videos and uphold responsible journalism that respects human dignity.
The videos were reportedly released around the anniversary of the 2016 international arbitration ruling on the South China Sea, which rejected many of China's expansive territorial claims in the disputed waters.
The incident has further strained relations between the two countries, which remain at odds over competing claims in the South China Sea. Chinese authorities had not issued a detailed public response to the Philippine protest at the time of reporting.