Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has stated that it is difficult to believe that the Chinese government has no involvement in the controversial video released by China Daily.

Teodoro explained that because China Daily is a state-sponsored media organization, everything it releases has approval from the government. The defense chief made a statement after the Chinese Foreign Ministry insisted that the Chinese government had no involvement in the video.

“It's a state-sponsored video. So mahirap paniwalaan yun – state-sponsored China Daily yun eh at walang lumalabas sa China na hindi, na walang pahintulot ng gobyerno nila,” according to DND Sec. Teodoro

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian previously denied that the viral monkey video released by the state-owned media network had originated from their government. The Chinese official did not provide further details. Instead, he reiterated Beijing’s position that the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award is invalid.

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