The U-shaped line is used on Chinese maps to illustrate its territorial claims over vast expanses of the resource-rich South China Sea, including areas claimed by other countries. Vietnam pulled the movie from cinemas last week, while the Philippines' foreign minister has called for the scene showing the map to be cut and the film boycotted. Malaysia's Film Censorship Board said last week that it has given the green light for the movie to be screened in cinemas without the scene depicting the map. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than US$3.4 trillion worth of goods are transported annually, under its unilaterally declared "nine-dash-line". Last week, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said the country needs to boost its naval capabilities to prepare for possible conflict in the South China Sea even as it pursues non-militarisation of the waterway.

Source: The Star October 20, 2019 04:18 UTC