Stories shape our opinions, judgments, and biases. As one of the biggest development lenders to the Philippines, China has played a role in shaping how its investments in the country are perceived by Filipinos—but to what extent?
The report, “Investing in Narratives: How Beijing promotes its development projects in the Philippines” published by AidData and Asia Society Philippines answers just that. This report follows AidData’s prior study on the impact of Chinese investments in the Philippines entitled “Beijing’s Big Bet on the Philippines: Decoding two decades of China’s financing for development.”
China’s three narratives
Chinese state investments, conveyed through state-owned and state-influenced media, revolve around three key stories. First, Beijing promotes its development partnerships as a win-win situation, suggesting that both sides can thrive by aligning with China. This message positions collaboration as essential for mutual growth in today’s interconnected world. Second, as a rapidly developing nation, China sees its rise as an inevitable economic powerhouse. The underlying message is clear: opposing China could lead to missed opportunities for other countries. Finally, China champions an "Asia is for Asians" campaign, encouraging neighboring countries to prioritize relationships with China rather than the West. This approach emphasizes geographical proximity and shared cultural ties as reasons to build closer connections with Beijing.
Selling the story
To effectively communicate these narratives, Beijing employs several strategies. One method is through content-sharing partnerships (CSPs) with Filipino media outlets, allowing China to spread its messages and build local credibility, especially amid declining trust due to geopolitical tensions. Additionally, China hosts training programs for Filipino journalists and social media influencers, equipping them with skills to engage local audiences across traditional and social media platforms while also familiarizing them with China's domestic successes.
Limits to Beijing’s influence
However, these indirect strategies do not guarantee positive coverage from local media outlets. Amid rising geopolitical tensions and declining trust in China among Filipinos, local journalists remain critical of Beijing’s investments and infrastructure projects. They frequently highlight challenges in project implementation and human rights issues, including impacts on indigenous peoples. This underscores Beijing’s limited influence over the local press and its struggle to shape public opinion, despite initiatives like CSPs and journalist training programs in China. As a result, local journalists and media outlets are increasingly urged to uphold rigorous standards in reporting.
About AidData and ASP’s collaboration
Following the publication of two policy reports on Chinese investments in the Philippines and related media narratives, a series of workshops were held across universities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in September 2024 to enhance the capacity and confidence of key stakeholders—such as government agencies, media organizations, and civil society groups—in utilizing and expanding data for reporting and decision-making on PRC investments from 2000 to 2022.