China-Backed Troll Campaign Targets Philippines Through Fake Social Media Accounts

A Chinese marketing firm, InfinitUs Marketing Solutions, secretly ran a social media influence campaign in the Philippines, funded by Beijing, to promote pro-China sentiment and undermine support for the U.S.-Philippine alliance. According to Reuters, internal documents and interviews revealed that the Manila-based firm created fake Facebook accounts, including one under the name “Vince Dimaano,” to spread propaganda and amplify anti-American narratives.

The campaign intensified after tensions flared in the South China Sea in 2021, when Chinese ships used water cannons against Philippine vessels. InfinitUs used its “troll army” to boost the Chinese embassy’s online image and attack critics of Beijing. Reports show that these accounts promoted Chinese vaccines, criticized U.S. defense ties, and supported pro-China influencers like Rommel Banlaoi, a scholar linked to the Association of Philippines-China Understanding (APCU). APCU, co-founded by former president Gloria Arroyo, has granted awards and cash incentives to Filipino figures sympathetic to Beijing’s stance.

InfinitUs also launched Ni Hao Manila, a media outlet posing as Filipino-run, to disseminate pro-China content on platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok. Investigations found that the outlet and related troll accounts bought fake followers to create an illusion of popularity. Major platforms including Meta and TikTok later removed the fake accounts and followers for policy violations.

Philippine officials, including former National Security Council executive Jonathan Malaya, warned that such disinformation campaigns aim to manipulate public opinion and weaken the country’s resolve in defending its sovereignty. Senator Francis Tolentino, who exposed InfinitUs in a Senate hearing, said the goal was clear — to make the Philippines “compliant” with Chinese interests.

As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. strengthens U.S. defense ties, China’s digital propaganda efforts highlight the escalating battle for influence in the Philippines’ information space.