China Radio International and the Philippine Presidential Broadcasting Service Launch “Wow China” Broadcast

Wow China, a collaborative radio program between the Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) under the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and China Radio International (中國國際廣播電台), aired on government station Radyo Pilipinas from 2018 to at least May 2020. China Radio International operates under China Media Group (中央廣播電視總台), which was established in March 2018 through the integration of China Central Television, China National Radio, and China Radio International, and is under the leadership of the Central Propaganda Department according to HK01‘s report on the official announcement. The program described itself as a “light cultural program” focusing on China-Philippines cultural exchange, but sparked significant backlash in May 2020 amid tensions over the South China Sea and the coronavirus pandemic, with critics calling it “pro-China propaganda” funded by Filipino taxpayers. The controversy intensified as it coincided with the government’s cease and desist order against ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ largest media network, leading lawmakers to question the use of taxpayer money for the program.