Vietnam has officially prohibited the commercial release of the Warner Bros. film "Barbie," starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Originally slated for a July 21 premiere, the movie was pulled due to a scene displaying a map illustrating China's disputed claims in the South China Sea. This depiction, known as the "nine-dash line," infringes upon territory Vietnam considers its own.
According to a statement made to the state-run newspaper Tuoi Tre by the director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department, the decision to ban "Barbie" stems directly from the inclusion of this contentious map. The National Film Evaluation Council ultimately made the decision to prevent the film's release.
The "nine-dash line" has been a source of ongoing tension in the region, representing China's assertion of sovereignty over large portions of the South China Sea. This claim overlaps significantly with areas Vietnam considers part of its own territorial waters. A 2016 ruling by The Hague deemed the nine-dash line invalid; however, China has refused to acknowledge the decision.
This isn't an isolated incident. Other films, such as DreamWorks' "Abominable" and Sony's "Uncharted" (starring Mark Wahlberg and Tom Holland), faced similar bans in Vietnam for featuring the same disputed map. Even television shows like "Madam Secretary" and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" were ordered to remove scenes containing the nine-dash line.
