China has formally lodged a diplomatic complaint against the Philippines after a senior Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official appeared in a presentation featuring satirical images of Chinese President Xi Jinping, further straining already fragile relations between Beijing and Manila over the South China Sea. The protest follows a Facebook post by PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, who spoke in front of a backdrop showing caricature-style images of Xi alongside the line 'Why does China remain a bully?'. Although the post did not announce any new policy, it quickly drew attention online and prompted a response from China's embassy in Manila.
