Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.has rejected China's Foreign Ministry claim that an AI-generated China Daily video portraying Filipinos as monkeys was not a government act.

Teodoro stated that the Department of National Defense (DND) remains unconvinced by Beijing's explanation, emphasizing that China Daily is state-sponsored and any content from China requires government approval.

The video, posted on July 10, mocked the Philippines' 2016 South China Sea arbitral victory, prompting strong condemnation from Philippine officials.The Department of Foreign Affairs lodged a diplomatic protest over the video, calling it racist and dehumanizing.Teodoro also reiterated the government's policy of avoiding defense engagements with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The incident highlights ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China over territorial claims in the South China Sea, with China rejecting the 2016 arbitral ruling as illegal.

Philippine officials, including the National Security Council and Coast Guard, have also criticized the video, calling it an insult to the Filipino people.

The controversy underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region and the sensitivity of issues related to national sovereignty and historical disputes.