Name: Vietnam Bans New Barbie Movie for Featuring Chinese Regime's South China Sea Map
Uploaded: 2023-07-05T08:32:50.000Z
Description: Moviegoers may be surprised to learn that the forthcoming "Barbie"—a movie based on the popular children's doll toy franchise—has been banned in Vietnam over its depiction of an international maritime dispute with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

China’s Broken Promises Loom Over New Trade Deals

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Californians React as Trump Calls for Gas Tax Suspension

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Trump Administration Reports Zero Border Releases

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

US to Host 1st Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, Featuring Shakira, Madonna

Savannah Pointer is a politics reporter for The Epoch Times. She can be reached at savannah.pointer@epochtimes.us

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Health News

Texas Children's Hospital to Open First-Ever Detransition Clinic Under Deal With DOJ

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Moviegoers may be surprised to learn that the forthcoming "Barbie"—a movie based on the popular children's doll toy franchise—has been banned in Vietnam over its depiction of an international maritime dispute with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The PRC—a single-party state controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—has asserted maritime rights to much of the South China Sea with a map commonly featuring nine dashes. The PRC and communist Vietnam are two of several nations surrounding the South China Sea that have asserted overlapping claims to the body of water.

On Monday, the head of Vietnam's cinema department confirmed with Vietnam's state-run<a href="https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/ttnewsstyle/20230703/barbie-movie-banned-in-vietnam-over-invalid-9dash-line/74183.html"> Tuoi Tre News</a> that cinema chains have been told to cancel screenings of "Barbie" because the film includes a scene that features the "nine-dash line" map. The film, which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was originally slated for a July 21 release in Vietnam, the same day the movie hits theaters in the United States.

Vi Kien Thanh, the head of the Vietnamese government's Department of Cinema, told Tuoi Tre News that his department's Central Council of Feature Film Evaluation and Classification blocked a license for "Barbie" to be screened in Vietnamese cinemas. Tuoi Tre News reported the ban has prompted managers of cinema chains across the country, such as Galaxy and CGV, to cancel screenings of the film.

It's unclear the context in which this controversial "nine-dash line" depiction is shown in the Barbie movie. NTD News reached out to Warner Bros. Pictures—the film's distributor—for comment, but did not receive a response by the time this article was published.

The "Barbie" movie is not the first Hollywood production to run afoul of Vietnamese censors for including the "nine-dash line" on maps depicting the South China Sea. The Vietnamese government similarly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abominable-dreamworks-movie-vietnam-ban-south-china-sea-map-2019-10">blocked</a> the DreamWorks’ animated monster movie “Abominable” in 2019 and the Sony video-game adaptation action movie “Uncharted” last year for the same reason.

The Vietnamese government also requested Netflix remove episodes of its spy drama series "Pine Gap" in 2021 for including the "nine-dash line." The series, produced in Australia, depicts an Australian-American joint defense intelligence team against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions with the PRC over the South China Sea.

The PRC's "nine-dash line" map has been repeatedly rejected by other nations and international bodies. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (<a href="https://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part2.htm">UNCLOS</a>)—of which the PRC is a <a href="https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXI-6&chapter=21&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en">signatory</a>—establishes that the 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state can be considered territorial waters belonging to that state.

In 2016, an arbitration tribunal convened under UNCLOS authorities, ruled (<a href="https://www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/Research/Issue%20Brief_South%20China%20Sea%20Arbitration%20Ruling%20What%20Happened%20and%20What%27s%20Next071216.pdf">pdf</a>) against the PRC's territorial claims in the South China Sea. The CCP in turn declared the tribunal's decision "null and void" with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs <a href="https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjdt_665385/2649_665393/201607/t20160712_679470.html">proclaiming</a> the ruling "has no binding force" and "China neither accepts nor recognizes it."

Latest

Entertainment News

China News

Arts and Culture

china

SOUTH CHINA SEA

VIETNAM

Videos

Barbie

Life

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

CCP (Chinese Communist Party)

Alison Lee

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.