The disputed map appears in a scene where Yang Zi’s character works at a police station, with a wall map behind her clearly showing the line. The scene was included in the promotional trailer released ahead of the series premiere on January 30 via iQIYI and China Central Television’s CCTV-8 prime-time slot.

Vietnamese fans reacted immediately. Major fan pages covering Chinese entertainment issued statements suspending all updates and promotional content related to the series in protest.

This marks the first time a Chinese series has faced backlash in Vietnam for map-related content even before airing in the country. In prior cases - such as Let Me Shine, 199 Love, and Flight to You - audiences only discovered the problematic imagery after multiple episodes had already aired.

Industry experts warn that Chinese productions are now increasingly embedding the controversial imagery directly into trailers and early episodes, making their intent harder to overlook.

Speaking to VietNamNet, Dang Tran Cuong, Director of the Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, confirmed that authorities are aware of the issue.

“We are reviewing the content in question and will issue an official response soon,” Cuong said.

He reaffirmed the department’s long-standing position: Vietnam does not tolerate any depiction of the nine-dash line in film or television, in any form.

Tree of Life is a drama directed by Li Xue, featuring a cast that includes Zhang Zhe Hua, Li Guang Jie, and Mai Ding alongside Yang Zi and Hu Ge. The story is set on the Qinghai Plateau and follows a group of rangers and police officers as they defend the environment against development pressures. Yang Zi plays a young policewoman named Bai Ju, while Hu Ge stars as a forest patrol leader dedicated to protecting the region’s “tree of life.”

This is not the first time Yang Zi has been involved in such controversy. Her previous series 199 Love was banned in Vietnam after being found to contain the same illegal maritime imagery.

In fact, Tree of Life is now the third Chinese series in just three months to be flagged by Vietnam’s Cinema Department for displaying the nine-dash line. The other two are Let Me Shine and Brilliant as the Sun, both of which faced public backlash for similar reasons.

In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has launched a formal inspection of foreign films distributed online, especially those originating from China.

The “nine-dash line,” also known as the “U-shaped line,” is a map demarcation unilaterally drawn by China to claim nearly the entire East Sea. This claim has been rejected by Vietnam and the international community, particularly after a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which found no legal basis for China's claim.

Vietnam has consistently taken a firm stance in defending its territorial sovereignty and continues to reject any attempt to legitimize the nine-dash line through cultural products.

Tuan Chieu