In brief
Streamers in Vietnam will no longer be able to watch 'Shine On Me' as Netflix complies with government demands after public outcry regarding a map depicting South China Sea territorial claims. The nine-dash line shown in the series has been deemed as infringing on Vietnam's sovereignty, prompting the culture ministry's immediate action. The series was previously popular and ranked among the top shows in various Asian countries.
Netflix has pulled a Chinese drama series from its Vietnam platform after Hanoi objected to an episode featuring a map with contested territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The 27-episode romance drama Shine on Me includes images of the so-called nine-dash line which Vietnam has condemned as inaccurate and infringing upon national sovereignty.
China uses the line in its maps to demarcate its territorial claims in the South China Sea. Vietnam is one of many countries that object to these claims.
Vietnam's culture ministry issued a demand for the series to be removed on January 3 and gave Netflix 24 hours to comply.
A BBC check found it could no longer be viewed on Netflix's Vietnam platform.
The disputed map appears several times in episode 25 of Shine On Me, in a scene about China's solar power potential. The show's main characters attend a lecture where a map of China which shows part of the nine-dash line is projected on an auditorium screen.
Shine On Me is popular within China and other territories, ranking among Netflix's Top 10 shows in Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam before it was pulled.
Beijing has not officially commented on the ban, although its state-run newspaper Global Times urged Hanoi to separate cultural exchanges from [the] South China Sea issue.
In recent years, China has increasingly asserted its territorial claims in the South China Sea. There have been multiple disputes involving Vietnam and other neighboring countries.
This incident is not the first time Vietnam has demanded content removal from Netflix; they have filed eight takedown requests within recent years. Other productions have also been banned for similar reasons related to the nine-dash line.
