HANOI:Vietnamese media platforms FPT Play, VieON, TV360, K+ and WeTV Film swiftly removed the series Let Me Shine after it included a scene depicting China’s nine-dash-line map, which is considered a violation of Vit Nam’s sovereign territory.

Previously, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Cinema received information highlighting that the China-produced series, popularised online in Vietnam, contained an image of the “nine-dash line map” that violated national sovereignty and Article 9 of the 2022 Cinema Law.

The department requested Tencent Holdings Limited and Image Future Investment (HK) Limited to temporarily suspend distribution of their films on the internet in Vietnam.

Let Me Shine, starring Zhao Lusi and Chen Weiying, is no longer available in Vietnam’s cyberspace.

Movie fans have expressed regret at being unable to watch the series online but remain supportive of the decision to remove content infringing on national territory and sovereignty.

The nine-dash line map controversy stems from China’s claims over a vast area of the South China Sea, which overlaps with the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of several Southeast Asian nations and violates international law.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled the claims illegal in 2016, a decision China rejects.

This has led to diplomatic friction and is a recurring issue in international relations and media, with the map appearing in films and on products, often resulting in bans and public backlash.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2025