Anti-China Caskets in Manila Draw Diplomatic Protest
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- Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said it does not condone threats of violence against foreign officials, calling the caskets inconsistent with how "Filipinos express criticism or dissatisfaction, even on sensitive political matters."
- Philippine police recovered five abandoned caskets across Manila before dawn on Aug 7, including one left outside the Chinese embassy, and have yet to identify those responsible.
- China's embassy in Manila filed a solemn representation calling the caskets a "political provocation" and urged Philippine authorities to investigate and prosecute those responsible.
- One casket bore photos of Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Ambassador Jing Quan alongside the word "greedy."
- Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng said the caskets aimed to sow hostility between Filipinos and Chinese but "would not undermine stable ties" between the two countries.
- The incident comes amid ongoing South China Sea tensions, where Manila and Beijing have repeatedly clashed over disputed maritime features.
Why it matters: The casket stunt lands at a moment when Manila and Beijing are already sparring over South China Sea features, forcing the Philippines into a tight diplomatic box — condemn the act to keep channels with Beijing open while the underlying sovereignty dispute keeps escalating.
