Philippines Condemns Anti China Casket Protest After Beijing Lodges Complaint

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday said it does not condone threats of violence against foreign officials after five caskets bearing anti China messages were found abandoned across Manila, including one outside the Chinese embassy.

China lodged a formal diplomatic protest with the Philippine government, describing the incident as a “political provocation” and calling for a thorough investigation and the prosecution of those responsible.

According to Philippine police, the five caskets were discovered before dawn at various locations across the capital. One was left outside the Chinese embassy and displayed photographs of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan, alongside the word “greedy.”

Authorities said investigations are ongoing and no suspects have yet been identified.

In a statement, the Philippine foreign ministry stressed that the protest did not reflect the government’s approach to foreign relations or the values of the Filipino people.

“Such actions do not reflect the Philippine government’s approach to conducting its foreign relations, nor do they represent how Filipinos express criticism or dissatisfaction, even on sensitive political matters,” the ministry said.

Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said the caskets appeared intended to incite hostility between Filipinos and Chinese nationals but insisted they would not undermine bilateral relations.

“The incident seeks to sow hostility between the peoples of our two countries, but it will not affect the stable development of China Philippines relations,” Ji said in a statement.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, where vessels from both countries have repeatedly confronted each other around disputed maritime features.

Despite ongoing maritime disputes, both governments have maintained diplomatic engagement while urging dialogue to prevent further escalation.