July 20 is one of the most anticipated films and kitsch of the year, Barbie. The story of the famous doll banished to the real world for not being perfect enough already indicates that she will be one of the biggest sensations of this 2023 by Greta Gerwig, among others (Little Women and Lady Bird).

It stars Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Emma McKee, Dua Lipa, Helen Mirren, John Cena and Will Ferrell. However, as posted Diversitythe film will not come to Vietnam.

The country would ban the release of the film because of some scenes depicting a nine-dot line map hinting at Chinese claims in the South China Searejected by Vietnam, considering it a violation of its sovereignty.

It was Wee Kien ThanhDirector General of the Vietnamese Film Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, who announced that the National Film Evaluation Board decided to ban the screening of the colorful film.

Similar depictions of the nine-point line have previously caused problems in many Vietnamese films and television series. “We do not license the American film Barbie for screening in Vietnam because it contains offensive image lines of nine dashes,” the director said, according to the regional newspaper Tuoy Tre.

The origin of the conflict is that although China claims sovereignty over much of the South China Sea with map of controversy published in 1947; The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia also claim rights in the region for their underground resources.

In 2016, the UN Dispute Settlement Tribunal ruled unanimously that such a line was invalid, and although it was mandatory, there are no clear mechanisms for implementing it and China says it doesn’t recognize solution.