China Daily’s ‘Monkey’ AI Video: Can Beijing Really Distance Itself?
A controversial AI-generated video by the state-run China Daily has sparked outrage in the Philippines after depicting the country as a monkey in its criticism of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling. While Beijing insists the video was not produced by the Chinese government, critics argue it reflects the messaging of one of China's most prominent state media organizations and marks a new low in Beijing's information campaign against Manila. The backlash comes as tensions continue to escalate in the South China Sea, raising broader questions about China's use of propaganda, nationalism and public diplomacy. Was this simply an offensive media production — or a deliberate attempt to shape public opinion at home and abroad? In this episode, we examine the controversy surrounding the video, what it reveals about China's information strategy and what it could mean for Beijing's image in the Philippines and beyond. *Recorded on July 22, 2026 at 11am Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Planner: Miguel Yang Videographer: Celest Kao Our guests: Sherwin Ona - De La Salle University Political Science and Development Studies Associate Professor and College of Computer Studies Former Associate Dean Stephen Tan - International Policy Advisory Group (Taiwan) Managing Director
