STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep.

The "Barbie" movie will not be seen in Vietnamese theaters. Authorities banned it because of a scene showing a map with the nine-dash line. This line depicts China's claim to own the South China Sea. Vietnam and other nations reject this, and the U.S. says it's unlawful. Vietnam had previously banned other productions, like "Abominable" and "Uncharted," for the same reason. Now "Barbie," too, falls victim to geopolitics.

It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.