Fact Check: A Red Banner from the Philippines published by Cambodian after editing
Cambodia is known to have closer relationship with China, leading to resentment expressed against the presence of Chinese in the country. Just a day before Chinese New Year celebration, a photo of banner read “Welcome to the Cambodia, Province of China” has been posted on 11th February 2021. The photo had been shared by many Khmer-speaking Facebook users along with many comments expressing mixed view over Chinese presence in the country. After running Google Reverse Image, however, it proves that photo is altered.
Social Media Claim
On February 11 in this year, a Facebook user posted a photo showing a red banner hanged by two men at unknown bridge. The banner was printed with texts reads “Welcome to the Cambodia – Province of China.” The photo had been shared by many Khmer-speaking Facebook users along with a mixture of comments and reactions.
Below is a capture of the Facebook post reads: “An important message on the occasion of Chinese New Year (Welcome to Cambodia – Province of China) is a beacon to remind pure Khmer children. (Source: FB) 11 February 2021.”
The same banner was also posted in the social media by other Facebook users during Chinese New Year celebration. Below is a capture of another Facebook post made by another social media user.
Fact Check
We started our investigation by running a Google Reverse Image, leading us to the original images along with exact caption.
The photo was published by one of the Philippines-based media by PhilStar on July 13, 2018 to mark two years after the Hague-based international tribunal ruled over a maritime dispute in South China Sea between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China.
The original photo shows the red banner printed with texts reads: “WELCOME TO THE PHILIPPINES, PROVINCE OF CHINA”, and its caption said two Manila officials removed the banner hanging on a footbridge in the capital city on a day earlier.
PhilStar Report | Archived Link
Another angle of the same banner was published in an article of Germany-based media Deutsche Welle (DW). Its caption said a man tried to remove the banner, and it was taken by AP photojournalist B. Marquez.
It was not clear who hanged the banner on the footbridge in the Philippines’ capital Manila, but it happened on the same marking the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague ruled that Beijing had no historic rights to water in the South China Sea, according to the German media’s report. The banner stirred angers among Filipinos.
Conclusion
Fact Crescendo found that the image shared with above post is altered. The image was not originated from Cambodia. The image was taken in the Philippines in early July 2018. The original image shows a banner printed with text reads: “Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China.”
Title:A Red Banner from the Philippines published by Cambodian after editing
Fact Check By: Jay UdomResult: Altered
