Netflix has removed a Chinese television drama from its Vietnam platform after authorities in Hanoi objected to scenes showing a map with contested territorial claims in the South China Sea, marking the latest cultural clash linked to the region’s long-running maritime disputes.
The 27-episode romance series Shine On Me was taken down after Vietnam’s culture ministry issued a formal demand on 3 January, giving Netflix 24 hours to comply.
Objection To The Nine-Dash Line
Vietnamese authorities said the series included images of the so-called nine-dash line, which they described as inaccurate and as infringing on national sovereignty. China uses the line on its maps to outline its claims over large parts of the South China Sea, claims that Vietnam and several other countries reject.
The disputed imagery appears multiple times in episode 25 of Shine On Me, during a scene focused on China’s solar power development. In the episode, the main characters attend a lecture where a map of China, including part of the nine-dash line, is projected onto a screen in an auditorium.
Before its removal, the series had gained popularity beyond mainland China, ranking among Netflix’s Top 10 shows in markets including Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Responses From Beijing And Regional Context
China has not issued an official response to Vietnam’s decision. However, the state-run Global Times published an article urging Hanoi to separate cultural exchanges from disputes over the South China Sea.
China has in recent years stepped up its assertion of sovereignty claims in the region, despite objections from Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. The dispute involves several island groups and surrounding waters, with China having expanded some features, built structures, and conducted maritime patrols that have at times led to confrontations, particularly with the Philippines.
Beijing argues its claims are supported by historical evidence, including ancient navigation records and artifacts. In 2016, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled against China’s claims, but Beijing rejected the ruling.
Focus On Paracels And Spratlys
Tensions between China and Vietnam centre on the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands, both of which are enclosed by the nine-dash line on Chinese maps. China says it has historical rights dating back centuries, while Vietnam maintains that China did not assert sovereignty over the islands before the 1940s.
Hanoi says it has exercised authority over the Paracels and Spratlys since the 17th century and holds documentary evidence to support its position.
Pattern Of Content Restrictions
This is not the first time Vietnam has acted against foreign productions over the nine-dash line. In 2023, authorities ordered Netflix to remove another Chinese drama, Flight to You, for similar reasons.
Vietnam has also blocked non-Chinese productions. In 2023, it banned Warner Bros’ film Barbie, and in 2016 barred DreamWorks’ animated feature Abominable, both of which included depictions of the disputed map.
Featured image credits: Pixahive
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