HANOI, Vietnam (NEWSnet/AP) — Vietnam's state media have reported that the government banned distribution of the “Barbie” movie because it includes a view of a map showing disputed Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The newspaper Vietnam Express and other media said posters advertising “Barbie” were removed from movie distributors’ websites after Monday’s decision. The film was scheduled to open July 21 in Vietnamese theaters, and stars Margot Robbie playing Barbie with Ryan Gosling playing Ken in a comedic look at a doll’s world.

The reports cited Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department, as saying the National Film Evaluation Council made the decision. It said a map in the film shows China’s “nine-dash line,” which extends Beijing’s territorial claims far into waters that fall within areas claimed by Vietnam and other countries.

The “nine-dash line” detail is a sensitive issue for China and neighboring nations of Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.

Companies often defer to Chinese complaints about national image and border claims, rather than being locked out of a lucrative Chinese market. Those steps have included Hollywood films deleting or adding scenes based on the expected response.

Then in 2019, Vietnam ordered showings of “Abominable” canceled after moviegoers complained about a scene showing the “nine-dash line.” 


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