In a firm move to protect its territorial sovereignty, Vietnamese authorities have ordered streaming giant Netflix to take down a popular Chinese television series from its platform within the country. The action was prompted by the show's inclusion of a contentious map that depicts China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.
The Reason Behind the Ban
The Department of Cinema, operating under Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced the decision on Sunday. The agency stated that an inspection of the series Shine on Me revealed scenes containing the infamous 'nine-dash line' map. Vietnamese officials declared that this map "misrepresents and violates Vietnam’s national sovereignty."
Netflix complied with the written government demand. "Following a written government demand, we have removed Shine On Me from Netflix in Vietnam," the company confirmed in its own statement. The series was pulled down by 11 a.m. Hanoi time on Monday, just within the 24-hour deadline given to the entertainment giant.
A Recurring Point of Tension
This incident underscores Vietnam's acute sensitivity regarding China's maritime claims, which have been a source of diplomatic strain and occasional clashes between vessels. The order was executed even though the problematic map appears only briefly in a college lecture scene within the dramatic series.
This is not the first time Vietnam has taken such action. In 2023, Netflix was compelled to stop offering another Chinese romantic drama, Flight to You, in Vietnam, despite the map in that show being blurred for the local audience. The Southeast Asian nation also famously banned the Hollywood blockbuster Barbie from cinemas last year for a scene featuring the map. Authorities have similarly investigated consumer brands like the Chinese milk tea chain Chagee and a children's toy brand for using images of the controversial map.
Legal Reclassification and Wider Dispute
Vietnamese authorities have taken further legal steps against the series. They have reclassified all 27 episodes of 'Shine on Me' as category C, which effectively bans its distribution within the country for violating Vietnam's cinema law. The specific offending images were identified in episode 25 of the show.
The core of the issue lies in the 'nine-dash line' itself. China uses this demarcation, based on a map from 1947, to claim sovereignty over more than 80% of the South China Sea. The looping line extends roughly 1,770 kilometers south of China's Hainan Island. However, this claim is hotly contested by Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan, all of whom assert rights to parts of the same strategic and resource-rich waters. The overlapping claims frequently lead to diplomatic spats and uncertainty over maritime boundaries.
This latest enforcement action against a streaming service highlights the Vietnamese government's consistent and vigilant stance against any media content it perceives as legitimizing China's territorial claims, ensuring the issue remains a flashpoint in regional geopolitics.
