MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Embassy in Manila said Friday it has filed a diplomatic protest against Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela over a social media post that included cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping. Tarriela and an embassy official had been trading barbs since last week over issues concerning the disputed South China Sea. Tarriela's Facebook post on Wednesday included a photo of him giving a speech, with a background featuring a compilation of comical images of Xi under the banner "Why China remains to be bully?" On Friday, the embassy slammed the post for "attacking and smearing Chinese leaders" in a statement it released. The embassy expressed "strong indignation" to the presidential palace, foreign affairs department and coast guard demanding an explanation for Tarriela's "malicious provocations".

Source: Philippine Star January 17, 2026 01:35 UTC