The Chinese embassy in Manila has described promoting China-Philippines relations as the core mission of local Chinese-language media. This statement came in response to criticism from the SeaLight Foundation about foreign influence. The embassy defended its coordination with these outlets while accusing critics of threatening free speech.
In recent social media statements, the Chinese embassy's deputy spokesperson Guo Wei addressed reports by the SeaLight Foundation on Chinese state influence in Philippine Chinese-language media. Guo stated that the 'core mission' of these outlets is 'to promote good China-Philippines relations.' He issued four such statements over the past month, confirming rather than refuting the foundation's findings.
On January 8, Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan met with executives from eight local Chinese-language media outlets. During the meeting, the executives pledged to 'cooperate closely with the Embassy' and 'carry forward the tradition of patriotism and love for the homeland.' The embassy did not dispute these details but normalized the coordination as standard practice.
Guo accused the SeaLight Foundation of using 'threats and intimidation' to silence these media, calling it a violation of free speech. He warned that 'any slander, attacks, or deliberate attempts to undermine China–Philippines relations' would face a 'firm response from China' and necessary measures to defend national interests.
The embassy highlighted positive coverage by these media on developments like resumed political dialogue and assistance to Filipino fishermen. It also noted that recognizing contributors to China-Philippines friendship with awards is reasonable to encourage such efforts.
SeaLight, a US-based nonprofit, documented publicly available evidence of this coordination, including embassy awards to editors. The foundation's director, Ray Powell, emphasized transparency in its research. The embassy views such journalism as serving state interests under guidance, contrasting with independent reporting.