China has been actively peddling its narrative in Philippine media and influencing personalities believed to have a strong following among readers and netizens.

The twists that the Chinese Communist Party, according to the US conservative think tank Freedom House, feeds its hacks follow the standard state propaganda package, with a mix of rapport building, positive promotion, and counter-narratives against criticism.

An often-used storyline portrays China as a better “friend” to the Philippines than the United States, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A common refrain: “A friend in need is a friend indeed, and time will tell. The pandemic is a test for friendship.”

Chinese state media frequently cite Chinese vaccine donations to the Philippines while attacking US policies, suggesting, for instance, that the United States is politicizing investigations into Covid-19’s origins.

Beijing then drums up the need for US-China cooperation as it will benefit the world and stresses that confrontation will cause everyone to suffer, glossing over valid criticisms, particularly regarding the West Philippine Sea, as efforts to antagonize and undermine China.

Similarly, the CCP calls for “win-win cooperation” between China and the Philippines on the maritime dispute, emphasizing that the countries’ common interests are far greater than their differences.

Freedom House said, “The Chinese government portrays itself as a good model for governance by touting the alleged successes of its anti-poverty work and the Belt and Road Initiative.”

It also works to undermine its international critics, countering reporting on rights violations in the Xinjiang region and Hong Kong while portraying itself as a cooperator on the global stage.

The efforts are heavily bankrolled to target journalists.

Since 2014, Chinese officials have increased efforts to provide training and trips to foreign journalists, mainly from Africa and Asia.

“Filipino journalists’ participation in such trips became more frequent after Duterte took power in 2016. Since January 2019, at least 36 Filipino journalists, editors, and media executives have traveled to China for media training and junkets, mostly representing state-owned or government-friendly media outlets,” the report said.

Participants were expected to produce friendly news reports, interviews, and feature stories touching on China’s advanced technology, the BRI, poverty eradication efforts, and media expertise during and after the trips.

After a 2019 trip, a reporter from regional outlet iOrbitNews wrote a piece praising China’s poverty alleviation program through tourism.

According to the International Federation of Journalists, some media people from Mindanao, home to the majority of the Philippines’ Muslim population, visited Xinjiang, the Uyghur homeland and the location of atrocity crimes against Uyghurs, and then wrote “stories praising China for cracking down on terrorists.”

“A former Manila Bulletin manager echoed CCP talking points while recounting his participation in a 10-month training arranged by the China Public Diplomacy Association, which he took part in from 2018 to 2019 while serving as a Palace information officer.

His story was published by Xinhua and the Philippine News Agency.

While no specific incidents of censorship have been identified, Philippine state media’s limited coverage of subjects that would be politically sensitive for the CCP suggests that editors have taken action to suppress coverage critical of Beijing.

Journalists and media commentators sometimes face intimidation from Chinese officials or state-aligned internet trolls.

During a lunch hosted by the Chinese embassy in Manila, Freedom House claimed a Chinese government representative reportedly berated Filipino journalists for their reporting about Taiwan and lectured them.

The Chinese embassy would sometimes not invite outlets critical of Beijing to embassy briefings.

After reporting on the partnership between the pro-Beijing program Chinatown TV and ABS-CBN, a reporter received numerous spam messages on Facebook Messenger. Similarly, an ABS-CBN reporter was criticized by online trolls after chasing after a story in the disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea.

Pro-CCP trolls have attacked a highly respected former Supreme Court justice and media commentator in the comments section of his columns that are critical of Beijing.

The combined fear of losing access and intimidation incentivizes self-censorship among reporters, commentators, and editors, especially those working for Philippine state media.

(To be continued)