The Vietnamese government has reportedly banned Warner Bros’ “Barbie” movie, as it featured a map that included Beijing’s claims to the disputed territory in the East Sea of Vietnam.
The film, which is a live-action production from the United States, allegedly contains a scene displaying the controversial “nine-dash line” map, commonly used by China to assert its territorial claims over significant portions of the East Sea of Vietnam. Various nations, including Vietnam, dispute these claims.
In 2016, the territorial dispute was taken to an international tribunal in The Hague, which rejected China’s claims to the majority of the East Sea of Vietnam. However, China refused to accept the tribunal’s decision. The East Sea of Vietnam is a crucial trade route that connects the main arteries of commerce in Southeast Asia.
The ban on “Barbie” has led to its removal from the list of upcoming films in Vietnamese cinemas, as reported by the state newspaper Tuổi Trẻ. Vi Kien Thanh, the head of the Vietnam Cinema Department, confirmed the ban to the newspaper. However, CNBC was unable to independently verify the report.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time a movie has been banned in Vietnam due to the inclusion of imagery related to the “nine-dash line.” The 2022 film “Uncharted,” featuring Tom Holland, was barred last year for the same reason, as was the 2019 DreamWorks production “Abominable.”
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Source: Vietnam Insider