Vietnam Takes Action Against Barbie Film Due to South China Sea Map
Vietnam has officially banned the upcoming Barbie film from being released in the country. The ban comes as a result of a scene in the film that features a map displaying disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. Vietnam, along with several other countries, contests China’s assertion of sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea.
Uncertainty Surrounds the Scene Depicting China’s Nine-Dash Line
The specific scene in the Barbie film that showcases the “offensive image” of China’s nine-dash line, a symbol used in Chinese maps to demarcate territorial claims in the South China Sea, remains unclear. The film, which has already garnered significant attention on social media, was scheduled for release in Vietnamese cinemas on July 21.
Background on the South China Sea Dispute
China has been constructing military bases on artificial islands in the South China Sea for several years and frequently conducts naval patrols in the area to reinforce its territorial claims. In 2016, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled against China’s claims in the South China Sea, a decision that China did not recognize.
Previous Bans on Films Featuring the Nine-Dash Line
This is not the first time Vietnam has banned a film for including the disputed nine-dash line. In 2019, the DreamWorks animated film Abominable faced a similar fate. Additionally, the Department of Cinema, a governmental body responsible for licensing and censoring foreign films, prohibited the release of the Sony action movie Uncharted in 2022 due to the inclusion of the contested map. In the past, Netflix removed the Australian spy drama Pine Gap from the Vietnamese market after receiving a complaint from authorities.
Complex Territorial Claims in the South China Sea
The South China Sea is a region where China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei all have competing territorial claims. The dispute over this strategic area has been a contentious issue in the region for many years, leading to tensions between the countries involved.
SOURCE: Ref Image from The Business Standard
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