Malacañang on Sunday defended the Chinese Embassy for a highly disliked music video that it created on the supposed cooperation of the two countries amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.

In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Chinese Embassy did not need to consult the government when it released a music video entitled “Iisang Dagat (One Sea)”.

“We have the right to free speech. A music video is part of that right and according to our Supreme Court… Bill of Rights is also given to the foreigners in our country,” Roque said.

The said music video, which was sung in both Mandarin and Filipino, was tagged by the netizens as “propaganda," showing the Philippines and China’s partnership to help one another during this time of pandemic.

According to Chinese Embassy, the song was dedicated to frontliners who played a crucial role in the fight against the COVID-19 in both the Philippines and China, including the China Medical Expert Team which visited the Philippines.

"China and the Philippines have been supporting and helping each other during the challenge of COVID-19 outbreak, demonstrating a new era partnership of mutual support during trying times and the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind advocated by the Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping," the Embassy said.

"Just as the lyric goes, as friendly neighbors across the sea, China and the Philippines will continue to join hands and make every effort to overcome the COVID-19 at the earliest!" the Chinese Embassy said.

The song was written by Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian.

The music video also showed other Philippine government officials thanking the Chinese government for its help during the pandemic.

As of 3:00 pm, the video has been viewed by more than 340,586 times on Youtube and had already 1,500 likes and 119,000 dislikes.

The release of the music video came after the Philippines lodged two diplomatic protests against Beijing for pointing its radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship in Philippine waters and declaring parts of the country's territory as part of China's Hainan province.

According to Manila, Beijing's latest actions were violations of the international law, as well as the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. Ella Dionisio/DMS