The Chinese Embassy in Manila has lodged a diplomatic protest against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela over a social media post that featured cartoon-style images of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The protest follows a public exchange between Tarriela and a Chinese embassy official over tensions in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway claimed by Beijing despite an international ruling that rejected China’s historic rights assertion.
Tarriela’s Facebook post showed him delivering a speech with a backdrop containing satirical images of Xi under the banner “Why China remains to be bully?”
The Chinese Embassy condemned the post, saying it was “attacking and smearing Chinese leaders.”
In a statement released Friday, the embassy said the post “constitutes a serious violation of China’s political dignity” and described it as a “blatant political provocation, which has crossed the red line.”
It also expressed “strong indignation” to Malacañang, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the PCG, demanding an explanation for what it called Tarriela’s “malicious provocations.”
Tarriela rejected the protest, calling it “an attempt to deflect from the core issue: China’s repeated aggressive and illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea.”
He added, “If the Chinese Embassy objects to images or expressions that highlight these violations — often through legitimate public discourse or even satire — it only underscores discomfort with the truth being exposed,” describing the diplomatic move as an “effort to intimidate.”
As of writing, Malacañang and the DFA have not issued an official response.