Chinese milk tea giant Chagee under fire in Vietnam, Malaysia for featuring controversial ‘nine-dash line’
Backlash is brewing as Chagee prepares to enter Vietnam with its first outlet, slated to launch in Ho Chi Minh City.
A Chagee roadshow at Resorts World Genting in Malaysia. (Photo: Facebook/Chagee MY)
SINGAPORE: Angry milk tea lovers in Malaysia and Vietnam are calling for a boycott of the popular Chinese tea chain Chagee after its mobile app displayed the nine-dash line - Beijing’s controversial map that outlines its territorial claims in the South China Sea.
First opened in China’s southwestern Yunnan province in 2017, the brand has expanded across Asia - operating shops in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. The backlash comes as the company prepares to enter Vietnam with its first outlet in Ho Chi Minh City.
Outraged Vietnamese social media users took to Chagee Vietnam’s Facebook page and flooded posts with angry comments and memes that criticised the company’s decision to even feature the map.
Referring to the contested Paracel and Spratly Islands, comments like “Hoang Sa and Truong Sa belong to Vietnam” were shared in Vietnamese and English.
Users first spotted the nine-dash line after downloading Chagee’s app to claim free beverages ahead of its opening.
Vietnamese news outlets have reported that the app was no longer available for download in the country. Photos showing advertisements and branding taken down ahead of its scheduled launch in Ho Chi Minh, also circulated widely.
In one photo, Chagee’s Vietnamese store, originally decked out in its signature decals and red branding, was seen painted over in grey, adding to speculation that its launch may not go forward.
In Malaysia, where Chagee operates more than 100 stores, social media users expressed their anger, leaving comments like “boycott Chagee” on the Malaysian branch’s official Facebook page.
One Malaysian Facebook user, Jason Kee, expressed disappointment with the company for including the nine-dash line.
“If you don't respect Malaysia then please (go back to China),” he wrote.
The company has not yet issued any public statements or apologies on the matter.
This incident follows similar past controversies involving China's nine-dash line depiction.
This week, Chinese collectible Baby Three dolls were pulled from shelves in Vietnam over a marking on its cheek supposedly resembling the nine-dash line.
The 2023 summer hit film Barbie was banned in Vietnam over a scene that showed the nine-dash line.
China’s controversial nine-dash line claim encompasses 90 per cent of the South China Sea.
Both Malaysia and Vietnam have overlapping claims with China in the strategic waterway.
