Among all the things that could heighten tensions in a region that could one day be the scene of a war between superpowers, Barbie was not the obvious catalyst. Still, here we are.
Vietnamese authorities this week banned the release of Greta Gerwig’s new film, citing a “Barbie” map of China’s territorial map in the South China Sea, which is contested by both neighbors.
The Philippines, another Southeast Asian nation that challenges China’s maritime claims, is now deciding whether to similarly ban films starring its stars. And Vietnam announced on Thursday that it was examining a map of the South China Sea on the website of a company promoting K-pop band Blackpink, who are scheduled to perform in Hanoi this month.
To some, such an attitude toward seemingly harmless cultural exports may seem like an overreaction. But Vietnam’s reaction makes more sense when viewed in a historical and political context. This is a primer.
What is Vietnamese beef with a “barbie”?
The head of the one-party Vietnam Film Authority said on Monday that the Warner Bros. film will not be released in the country because of a scene containing the so-called nine-dash line (a map displayed on a map). Listed in official Chinese documents, it encompasses most of the South China Sea.
Official Vi Kien Thanh did not say which scenes Vietnam did not like.a few commentators wondered If you mean Margot Robbie’s Barbie standing in front of a crudely drawn map of the world. Others noted that the nine-dash line in that scene appeared to be very far from Asia.
If that’s really the map in question, “I don’t quite understand what the fuss is about,” says Bill Hayton, author of a book on Vietnam and the South China Sea.
“The map in the movie doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the real world map,” Hayton added. “This looks like Vietnamese censors trying to prove their patriotism and usefulness to the regime.”
Vietnam’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. So did American film studio Warner Bros. told Reuters. On Thursday, it said its ‘Barbie’ map of the South China Sea was a ‘childish’ drawing with no intended meaning.
Why is the South China Sea important to Vietnam?
Vietnam and China are neighboring countries with very complicated relations. On the one hand, the two countries are ruled by the Communist Party and are ideologically allies. They are also busy trading partners sharing an 800-mile border.
However, China has occupied Vietnam for a thousand years and invaded it as recently as 1979. And under powerful Chinese leader Xi Jinping, China has built military outposts on disputed islands in the South China Sea. It also rejected a landmark 2016 international court ruling in favor of the Philippines, saying China’s broad claims to maritime sovereignty had no legal basis.
The South China Sea in particular is very sensitive, and the 2014 stationing of an oil rig by a Chinese company in disputed waters off the coast of Vietnam brought Vietnam and China dangerously close to an actual conflict.
All of this has led to fears among many Vietnamese that China might one day go to war in what Vietnam calls the “East Sea.” These concerns have helped shape Vietnam’s recent efforts to balance its relationship with China by building stronger ties with the United States and other countries.
The latest Barbie ban seems to fit a pattern.
Vietnamese censors have banned or altered several other films showing the disputed areas. under the control of the Chinese government. The list includes Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Abominable (2019) and Uncharted (2022).
Why are Blackpink and the Philippines involved?
The Philippines is considering banning “Barbie” before its July 19 release, and authorities announced this week that the film was under review. Philippine Senator, Francis N. Tolentino said: He argued that screening it would undermine Philippine sovereignty.
Separately, Vietnamese officials said this week that the country’s culture ministry was trying to verify whether Beijing-based Blackpink’s concert promoter, iMe, supported the nine-dash line. Organizers also apologized for displaying a nine-dash line map on their website. Vietnamese media report.
The promoter’s Chinese website became inaccessible on Friday. Blackpink’s Korean branch and production company YG Entertainment did not respond to requests for comment.
As of Friday, K-pop giants Blackpink were due to perform two shows at the National Stadium in Vietnam’s capital Hanoi in late July.
What is going on in China and Vietnam?
China’s ban on “Barbie dolls” was widely discussed online this week after Beijing’s foreign ministry on Tuesday criticized Vietnam for linking the South China Sea to “regular cultural exchanges.” Many Chinese social media users denied the fight, saying Hollywood would always choose China over Vietnam.
By contrast, several prominent Vietnamese observers said in interviews this week that the government’s ban on “Barbie dolls” is consistent with previous efforts to protect Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty, partly because He said it reflected the Communist Party’s sensitivity to domestic criticism of its China policy.
The ban on “Barbie dolls” was also a success, they added, as the international news media began to pick up on Vietnam’s territorial disputes again.
Chau Doan I contributed a report from Hanoi, Vietnam. Lee Yu Contributed research from Shanghai.
