HANOI, VIETNAM: Milk tea enthusiasts in Malaysia and Vietnam are calling for a boycott of Chinese tea chain Chagee after its mobile app featured the controversial nine-dash line, which outlines Beijing’s disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea.
The backlash erupted as Chagee prepared to launch its first outlet in Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh City.
The brand, which was established in China’s Yunnan province in 2017, has expanded across Asia, with shops in Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, where it operates more than 100 stores.
Vietnamese social media users flooded Chagee Vietnam’s Facebook page with angry comments, criticising the company for using the map.
Many referenced Vietnam’s claims to the Paracel and Spratly Islands, leaving comments in both Vietnamese and English, such as: “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa belong to Vietnam.”
The controversy arose after users downloading Chagee’s app to claim free drinks ahead of the store’s opening noticed the presence of the nine-dash line.
According to Vietnamese news reports, the app has since been removed from app stores in Vietnam.
Photos circulating online also show advertisements and branding being removed from the Ho Chi Minh City outlet before its scheduled opening.
One widely shared image depicted Chagee’s storefront, which was originally decorated in its signature red branding, painted over in grey.
This has fuelled speculation that the company’s launch in Vietnam may not proceed.
In Malaysia, social media users expressed similar outrage, with many calling for a boycott.
Comments such as “boycott Chagee” appeared on the brand’s Malaysian Facebook page, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction over the company’s use of the map.
Chagee has yet to issue an official statement or apology regarding the controversy.
This is not the first time the nine-dash line has sparked backlash in Vietnam.
Earlier this week, Chinese Baby Three collectible dolls were pulled from shelves in the country over markings resembling the disputed map.
In 2023, the Hollywood film Barbie was banned in Vietnam after a scene depicted the nine-dash line.
China’s nine-dash line claim covers about 90 per cent of the South China Sea, overlapping with claims by Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and other Southeast Asian nations.
The contested Spratly Islands, located at the centre of these overlapping claims, remain a key flashpoint involving China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Despite a 2016 ruling by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Tribunal, which found China’s claim had no basis in international law, Beijing continues to assert control over the region.
China has rejected the ruling and continues to reinforce its claims through various means, including deploying military assets, harassing foreign naval and military aircraft, and intimidating foreign fishermen.
Maps depicting the nine-dash line remain a contentious issue across Southeast Asia, often sparking political and commercial fallout.
For now, Chagee faces mounting public pressure in Malaysia and Vietnam, with its Vietnam launch hanging in uncertainty. Whether the company will respond to the criticism remains to be seen.
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