Depictions of the Chinese Claim of the Nine-Dash Line in Cinemas

Widjaja, Frederik Agnar (2202) Depictions of the Chinese Claim of the Nine-Dash Line in Cinemas. In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 3RD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LANGUAGE, LINGUISTICS, LITERATURE AND EDUCATION. Fakultas Sastra dan Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Teknokrat Indonesia, Bandarl ampung, pp. 108-120. ISBN 2985 - 7023

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Abstract

Barbie (2023) becomes one of the most anticipated films worldwide in 2023. However, this is not the case for the Vietnamese, as the authority has announced that the film would be banned. The reason: it features the Nine-Dash Line, the controversial China's claim over the ownership of the South China Sea. This claim brews territorial disputes with the surrounding countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, from which it has emerged as a significant geopolitical flashpoint for decades. Nevertheless, Barbie (2023) is only one of the cinemas that have faced scrutiny and censorship due to the depictions of this contentious issue. The last five years have also seen Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Pine Gap series (2018), Put Your Head on My Shoulder series (2019), Abominable (2019), and Uncharted (2022) experience the similar fate as Barbie (2023) in Vietnam, the Philippines, or Malaysia. This paper aims to examine the depiction of the Nine-Dash Line in each cinema mentioned and the responses of other claimant countries, considering public reactions, diplomatic protests, and censorship measures. The depiction of the Nine-Dash Line in cinemas shows that the depiction of any sensitive geopolitical issues can lead to diplomatic tensions. As governments seek to protect their best national interests, they engage in censorship or ban the cinemas from being shown in their territories altogether. Keyword Nine-Dash Line, South China Sea, territorial dispute, depiction, cinema

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