The film distributor has been asked to blur the controversial dash lines in the film starring Australian actress Margot Robbie as Barbie. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, despite rival claims from other Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam. But after "meticulous" scrutiny of the film, Philippine censors were convinced that the "cartoonish map" did not depict the nine-dash line. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it appreciated the opportunity to watch "Barbie" to "ascertain if the depiction of the imaginary world map is inimical to the national interest". The Philippines' approval of "Barbie" coincided with the seventh anniversary of an international ruling that China's historical claims to the South China Sea have no legal basis.

Source: The Standard July 12, 2023 15:16 UTC