Chinese Embassy attacks Philippine outlet online over pro-Beijing propaganda investigation

Bangkok, March 9, 2026—China’s Embassy in the Philippines should cease its online attacks and intimidation against the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) after the outlet published a report into China-aligned influence networks operating in the country, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday.

The embassy’s remarks targeted PCIJ contributor Regine Cabato’s investigation and follow-up video report on the spread of alleged pro-China disinformation across Philippine media and online platforms.

Guo Wei, the embassy’s deputy spokesperson, issued multiple public statements attacking PCIJ’s credibility and independence, repeatedly questioning the outlet’s funding sources and suggesting its journalism serves foreign political interests.

The embassy specifically highlighted PCIJ’s past grants from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a Washington-based nonprofit that supports independent media and democracy advocates globally, framing the funding as evidence of bias.

“People can’t help asking: whose interests do they serve?” Guo said in a statement posted to the embassy’s Facebook page on February 25.

In a second statement on February 27, Guo accused the outlet of “blatant double standards,” questioned its editorial independence, and demanded full transparency about its NED funding. The embassy characterized the reporting as “one-sided accusations and deliberate smears,” and said the coverage was part of coordinated “anti-China rhetoric.”

“The Chinese Embassy’s repeated attacks on PCIJ’s independence and finances are a crude attempt to discredit the widely respected center’s investigative reporting,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s senior Southeast Asia representative. “Sustained diplomatic pressure of this type sends an intimidating message to every newsroom in the Philippines against critical coverage of China. It should stop now.”

PCIJ responded in a statement that it receives funding from multiple sources, has “zealously guarded” the center’s independence since its founding in 1989, and accused the embassy of “attacking independent reporting by Filipinos.”

Cabato told CPJ she has faced a torrent of sexist abuse and online harassment since the controversy erupted.

The embassy has denied and sometimes attacked reports exposing its alleged influence operations in the Philippines. In January and February, Guo issued multiple statements critical of Stanford University’s SeaLight Foundation after it documented embassy coordination on editorial policy with local Chinese-language outlets, Rappler reported.

China’s Embassy in Manila did not respond to CPJ’s emailed request for comment.