Philippine minister lashes out over South China Sea map in ‘Abominable’ film

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jnr says a scene in the DreamWorks film depicting China’s ‘nine-dash line’ in the disputed area should be cut
He also calls for Filipinos to boycott the company entirely

South China Sea

Reuters

Published: 10:04pm, 16 Oct 2019

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The Philippines’ foreign minister on Wednesday called for a cut to a scene in Abominable, a DreamWorks animated film that shows China’s unilaterally declared “nine-dash line” in the South China Sea.

The U-shaped line is a feature used on Chinese maps to illustrate its claims over vast expanses of the resource-rich South China Sea, including areas claimed by other countries.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jnr said the scene showing the map should be cut, and people should not only refuse to watch the film, but boycott the entire company.

“Of course they should cut out the offending scene which will show our displeasure better than if we unconstitutionally ban it as some suggest,” Locsin said on Twitter.

On Monday, Vietnam pulled the movie from cinemas over the scene showing the map.

Locsin said the Philippine film regulator should replace the scene with “a hectoring lecture”, while calling on movie fans to shun the production company altogether.

“For me, call a universal boycott of all DreamWorks productions from here on,” he said.

The film regulator did not respond to requests for comment.

Vietnam blocks ‘Abominable’ film over depiction of Beijing’s nine-dash line in South China Sea

Anger in Southeast Asia over the map depicted in the film has highlighted the problem for companies trying to address political sensitivities in China without causing offence in other markets.

A spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, who has sought closer ties with China, said on Tuesday the film regulator should decide on whether to pull Abominable from Philippine cinemas.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr is seen in August. Photo: AP

Abominable, about a Chinese girl who discovers a yeti living on her roof, was jointly produced by Shanghai-based Pearl Studio and Comcast-owned DreamWorks Animation.

The film opened in the Philippines early this month and was no longer being screened in many major cinemas, an online search showed.

Philippine foreign secretary warns of ‘Chinese hegemony’ in Southeast Asia

Four Southeast Asian countries contest China’s claims in the South China Sea. Taiwan also makes a claim.

In 2016, the Philippines won a case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating China’s claims to almost the entire stretch of sea. China does not recognise the ruling.

Last week, the American sports network ESPN faced criticism of its coverage of a row between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and China after using a map that featured the nine-dash-line.

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