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Society

Vietnam pulls popular children's dolls over South China Sea map

Seething international tensions over the South China Sea have struck an unlikely victim in Vietnam: popular children's dolls pulled from shops over a facial mark supposedly resembling Beijing's claims in the flashpoint waterway.

This photo taken in Hanoi on March 18 shows a Baby Three doll with a marking on its cheek that has been claimed to resemble China's so-called nine-dash line in the disputed South China Sea. [Nhac Nguyen/AFP]
This photo taken in Hanoi on March 18 shows a Baby Three doll with a marking on its cheek that has been claimed to resemble China's so-called nine-dash line in the disputed South China Sea. [Nhac Nguyen/AFP]

By AFP and Focus |

Small and fluffy, with large eyes and rabbit ears, Chinese-made "Baby Three dolls" became a must-have among Vietnamese kids and Generation Z earlier this year and had been flying off shelves across the country.

That was until an online backlash began over the "Town rabbit V2" model of the doll -- and a marking on its cheek that was said to resemble China's so-called "nine-dash line."

Beijing has long used the line to justify its claims over most of the resource-rich South China Sea, often to the displeasure of Vietnam, which claims parts of the waterway.

The area is home to valuable oil and gas deposits and shipping lanes, and several of China's neighbors have voiced concern that Beijing is seeking to expand its reach.

This photo taken in Hanoi on March 18 shows Li, who declined to give her full name, holding a Baby Three doll with a marking on its cheek that has been claimed to resemble China's so-called nine-dash line in disputed South China Sea. [Nhac Nguyen/AFP]
This photo taken in Hanoi on March 18 shows Li, who declined to give her full name, holding a Baby Three doll with a marking on its cheek that has been claimed to resemble China's so-called nine-dash line in disputed South China Sea. [Nhac Nguyen/AFP]
The 'nine-dash line,' marked in red on the map, is a series of segments on maps used by China to claim territory in the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of neighboring countries and causing disputes. [Laurence Chu and John Saeki/AFP]
The 'nine-dash line,' marked in red on the map, is a series of segments on maps used by China to claim territory in the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of neighboring countries and causing disputes. [Laurence Chu and John Saeki/AFP]

In response to the online outcry, Vietnam's Industry and Trade Ministry ordered an inspection of toys supposedly displaying the nine-dash line, which it warned were "affecting national security and territorial sovereignty."

The ministry's Market Development Management Department website noted that toys featuring the controversial marking had been found not only in physical stores but on major e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Facebook too.

Vendors in Hanoi told AFP that most of the offending dolls had been pulled from shelves, but their once-booming business has been shattered, with sales of all models vastly down.

Le, who declined to give her full name, said she used to regularly sell 100 Baby Three dolls a day for up to $20 each, but her sales had dwindled to almost nothing, with just a few now flogged at reduced rates.

"Almost all children started to boycott [the dolls] because they saw it as a nationalistic issue, thinking that buying Baby Three was unpatriotic," she said.

"I've invested so much money into this... it feels like such a waste," she added.

According to data cited by state media from YouNet ECI, an e-commerce data analysis platform, the average selling price of Baby Three on Shopee and TikTok Shop plummeted by half in the first 10 weeks of 2025.

Vu Tu, 19, told AFP that the toys were "cute and adorable" but that the "nine-dash line scandal" had put him off.

"In my opinion, toys with the nine-dash line affect Vietnam's sovereignty and I don't support them," he said.

First 'Barbie,' now this

The controversy has impacted the website of Chagee, a Chinese milk tea brand that was set to open its first store in Vietnam.

Police in commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City are investigating Chagee about a map on its website showing the nine-dash line.

The city's Department of Culture and Sports said late on March 20 that, together with city police, it has been "working with Chagee Vietnam to clarify the matter."

In the official statement, authorities asked "individuals and organizations to use official maps [to avoid] distorted information on national island sovereignty."

Chagee had been due to open a large branch in central Ho Chi Minh City, but state media reported that workers removed all logos and signage on March 17 as the row broke out.

Vietnamese authorities have long been sensitive about the nine-dash line.

In 2023, "Barbie," the fantasy comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was banned from cinemas because of scenes featuring the nine-dash line.

And in 2018, Vietnam cut a scene from the romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" that featured a designer bag with a map of the world showing the disputed South China Sea islands under Beijing's control.

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