MANILA — The Chinese Embassy in Manila filed a diplomatic protest Friday against Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela over a social media post featuring cartoonish images of President Xi Jinping.

The spat follows a week-long exchange between Tarriela and an embassy official over issues in the disputed South China Sea, which Beijing claims despite an international ruling rejecting its assertion. The waters have been the site of repeated clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels.

Tarriela’s Facebook post on Wednesday showed him giving a speech with a backdrop featuring comical images of Xi under the banner “Why China remains to be bully?”

In a statement, the embassy said the post “attacks and smears Chinese leaders” and constitutes a “serious violation of China’s political dignity” and a “blatant political provocation, which has crossed the red line.” The embassy also conveyed “strong indignation” to the presidential palace, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Coast Guard, demanding an explanation for Tarriela’s “malicious provocations.”

In response, Tarriela described the protest as “an attempt to deflect from the core issue: China’s repeated aggressive and illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea,” using the Filipino term for the waters west of the Philippines.

“If the Chinese Embassy objects to images or expressions that highlight these violations—often through legitimate public discourse or even satire—it only underscores discomfort with the truth being exposed,” Tarriela said, calling the protest “an effort to intimidate.”

Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs have yet to comment. (AFP)