The Vietnam Express newspaper and other outlets reported the removal of “Barbie” advertisements from dealer websites following Monday’s decision. The comedy about the “perfect” world of the iconic Barbie doll, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was due to open in theaters nationwide on July 21.
The decision was made by the National Film Evaluation Council, the reports said, citing Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Film Department. A map appears in the film showing China’s “nine-dotted line,” which extends Beijing’s territorial claims to waters in areas claimed by Vietnam and other countries.
The “nine-dotted line” is a sensitive issue for China and its neighbors representing Beijing’s claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, something that Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines reject.
An international court ruled in 2016 that the “nine dotted line” has no legal basis and that the Philippines was entitled to an exclusive economic zone in part of the area claimed by Beijing. China rejected the ruling.
