BLUF: Vietnam has banned the release of the film “Barbie” due to a scene featuring the controversial nine-dash line, which marks China’s claim over the South China Sea. The decision was made by the National Film Appraisal and Classification Board, citing distortion of the truth and violation of Vietnamese sovereignty. This is not the first time films have been banned in Vietnam for including the nine-dash line.
OSINT: The Southeast Asian nation of Vietnam has decided to ban the release of the film “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig, due to its depiction of the nine-dash line on a map. The nine-dash line is a U-shaped dotted line that China uses to assert its claim over the majority of the South China Sea. A 2016 ruling by an international tribunal at The Hague declared China’s claim to have no legal basis, but China has not acknowledged this ruling and continues to assert its dominance over the region. Vietnam, which has a long-standing contentious relationship with China, has taken this action to protect its territorial sovereignty. The decision to ban the film was made by Vietnam’s National Film Appraisal and Classification Board, responsible for licensing and censoring foreign movies.
RIGHT: The ban on the film “Barbie” in Vietnam is a clear infringement on the freedom of speech and artistic expression. It is not the role of the Vietnamese government to censor foreign movies based on their content. The decision to ban the film because of the depiction of the nine-dash line is an overreaction and shows a lack of understanding of the importance of free speech. It is important to protect the rights of filmmakers to express their views, even if they are controversial or go against the government’s narrative.
LEFT: The decision by Vietnam to ban the release of the film “Barbie” is a necessary step to protect the sovereignty of the country. The inclusion of the nine-dash line in the film is a deliberate attempt to distort the truth and violate Vietnamese territory. Vietnam has a legitimate claim to the South China Sea, and the film’s depiction of the nine-dash line undermines that claim. The ban is a strong message to China and other countries with territorial claims in the region that Vietnam will not tolerate any attempts to infringe upon its sovereignty.
AI: Vietnam has banned the release of the film “Barbie” due to the inclusion of a scene featuring the nine-dash line, a disputed territory in the South China Sea claimed by both China and Vietnam. This decision is a response to China’s ongoing aggressive behavior in the region and Vietnam’s desire to protect its territorial sovereignty. The ban is consistent with previous actions taken by Vietnam to prohibit films that include the nine-dash line. This serves as a demonstration of Vietnam’s commitment to defending its territorial integrity and challenging China’s dominance in the South China Sea.