“Abominable” – a fiction movie debuted in theaters in Vietnam in October 4 – has been withdrawn from cinemas nationwide due to containing China’s groundless nine-dash line which covers Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagoes.

A scene that contains the U-shape line. Photo: Tuoi Tre 

The movie was found to have scene showing the line or U-shape line which is Beijing’s self-claimed area that encircles up to 90% of the South China Sea (known as East Sea in Vietnam). 

CJ CGV Vietnam Co., Ltd – a subsidiary of the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s CGV Group – silently withdrew the movie after a number of audience recognized the scene. 

The case has sparked criticism among Vietnamese people who accused the Cinematography Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports of Tourism for its main responsibility for issuing permission for the movie. 

Prof. Vu Minh Giang, deputy head of Vietnam Association of Historical Sciences (VAHS), said overlooking a scene that harms the national sovereignty is definitely serious and relevant individuals and organizations should be strictly punished for their irresponsibility.

Prof. Tran Ngoc Vuong said China is foxy in inserting their sovereignty claim in cultural products and Vietnam must be vigilant enough to realize their intention, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. 

Related individuals must be strictly punished as this is a national sovereignty issue, writer Trinh Thanh Nha suggested. 

Researcher Hoang Viet from the Vietnam Lawyers Association suggested that this is a serious issue that should be in vigilance of authorized agencies and those in charge of cultural management must keep an eye on it. 

Meanwhile, a large number of locals criticized CJ CGV Vietnam for showcasing the movie to the public as this is the second time the company released a movie harming Vietnam’s sovereignty and disseminating Chinese illegal sovereignty claim. 

Vietnamese netizens have called for a heavy fine and an apology from CJ CGV Vietnam. 

“Abominable” – a joint work by US Dreamworks Animation and China-invested Pearl Studio – has come in theaters globally since September 27, 2019.