Philippines Infuriated by Chinese South China Sea Propaganda Video

The Chinese embassy in Manila released a propaganda music video this weekend depicting China and the Philippines as working together toward a “shared future” in “one sea” or “Iisang Dagat,” in the Philippine language, referring to the disputed South China Sea.

Thousands of Filipinos expressed their disapproval of the video over the weekend, which followed shortly after Manila filed two diplomatic complaints against Beijing on April 22 for recent aggressions toward the Philippines in the contested waterway, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) reported on Monday.

China attempted to disguise the video as a coronavirus unity message, depicting Chinese-Filipino cooperation in the fight against the pandemic. In the video end credits, the Chinese embassy says the song is “dedicated to those who contributed to our fight against the [coronavirus] epidemic from both countries, especially the China Medical Expert Team [that visited] the Philippines,” referring to a dozen medical personnel sent to the Philippines by China on April 5 to assist with efforts to contain the virus.

In the video, the Chinese embassy describes the joint effort as “demonstrating a new era partnership of mutual support during trying times and the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind advocated by the Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping.”

Chinese ambassador Huang Xilian reportedly wrote the song’s lyrics, and it was performed by a group including a Chinese diplomat, the vice-governor of Philippine province Camarines Sur, a Filipino-Chinese singer, and a Chinese actor, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

“You and I are in the same sea, your love keeps me company. I won’t let go of your hand. We have a bright future ahead,” read some of the song’s lyrics, as translated by SCMP.

Over the weekend, thousands of Filipinos criticized the video as propaganda supporting China’s claims of control over almost the entire South China Sea, according to RTHK.

“The nerve of China to release this propaganda video in the middle of [the coronavirus] pandemic. [The] West Philippine Sea is ours,” one Filipino wrote on social media, SCMP reported. The West Philippine Sea is the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea; China unlawfully claims nearly all of the sea.

“There is no ‘one sea’ or ‘Iisang Dagat.’ West Philippine Sea is OURS and China has no business saying it’s for everyone. Not after they point their guns and warships at our vessels and fishermen,” said another Filipino on Twitter, as reported by SCMP.

On April 22, Manila filed two diplomatic protests against Beijing. One of the letters condemned an incident on February 17 in which a Chinese warship aimed a radar gun at a Philippine ship, an act of “hostile intent,” according to the Philippines. The other letter rejected China’s declaration on April 19 that it had formed an administrative unit in the South China Sea to govern the Philippine’s Spratly Islands and Vietnam’s Paracel Islands. Vietnam also rejected China’s announcement as having “seriously violated” the country’s sovereignty.

Chinese ships have attacked and sunk Philippine fishing boats in the past. Most recently, China attacked and sunk a Vietnamese fishing boat on April 3. Vietnam issued a formal protest of the attack on April 4, backed by the Philippines.

In 2016, the Philippines won an international court case invalidating China’s claims to almost the entire sea. China refuses to recognize the ruling and has increased its activity in the South China Sea in recent years and months. The communist nation strives for control of the valuable sea, which contains stores of oil and natural gas in addition to a strategically advantageous trade route.

China competes for territory in the sea already governed by Southeast Asian nations like the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei, and Malaysia.

On Monday, Universal Records Philippines denied involvement in the “Iisang Dagat” video, after the Chinese embassy cited the record label in the video end credits, the Philippine Star reported on Monday.

“Universal Records Philippines would like to clear that we are not in any way involved in the track ‘Iisang Dagat,’” the record label stated. “Contrary to what is included in the YouTube caption, the company did not participate in the production and promotion of the said song.”

In a statement, the record company said it had turned down an invitation to promote the video and accused China of misleading the public by falsely claiming Universal Records supported its propaganda message.

“Prior to its release, an invitation was sent out by Chinatown TV [the video’s producer] for the label to help in the song’s promotion, which was respectfully declined by the label,” the statement said.

“The inclusion of the company name on the aforementioned caption was posted without our consent and has therefore misled audiences with our non-participation in the project,” the record label added.