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EXCLUSIVE: GOP Lawmakers Accuse Hollywood of Bending to Chinese Communist Party in “Barbie” Movie Controversy
The upcoming “Barbie” movie, featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has become the center of a heated geopolitical dispute. Several GOP lawmakers are accusing Hollywood of acquiescing to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) due to the inclusion of a map that appears to endorse Beijing’s dominance over the South China Sea. Vietnamese officials have already announced a ban on the Warner Bros. film within their borders, and the Philippines may follow suit. This controversy highlights Hollywood’s reliance on the Chinese market and the criticism it faces for ignoring Beijing’s human rights record.
Lawmakers’ Accusations
Representative Mike Gallagher, chairman of the House select committee on China, argues that although it may seem like a harmless map in a Barbie movie, the fact that it depicts China’s unlawful territorial claims shows the pressure Hollywood is under to please CCP censors. He calls on Warner Bros. to clarify that the map was not intended to endorse any territorial claims but was simply the work of a doll character.
Representative Mike Waltz accuses Hollywood of hypocrisy, pandering to China’s massive audience while turning a blind eye to its troubling human rights record. He states that this puts national security at risk and further exposes the industry’s hypocrisy on social justice and human rights.
Growing Controversy and Hollywood’s Reliance on China
The included map depicts China’s claim to a significant portion of the South China Sea, a region disputed by Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Taiwan. With Hollywood’s reliance on the Chinese market, this controversy highlights concerns about studio executives turning a blind eye to Beijing’s human rights abuses for the sake of selling films.
Senator Marsha Blackburn states that the movie’s inclusion of a pro-China map is wrong both legally and morally. While an international tribunal at The Hague dismissed China’s claims in 2016, Beijing disregarded the ruling. Blackburn accuses Hollywood and the left of prioritizing film sales in China over standing up against human rights abuses.
The Accusations of GOP Lawmakers
Jim Banks, a GOP lawmaker on the China committee, accuses movie executives of working alongside the CCP and endangering national security. He argues that just as soft power was pivotal in defeating the Soviet Union, Hollywood’s collaboration with the communist regime hampers the US’s ability to win the new Cold War with China.
Senator Marsha Blackburn echoes these sentiments, stating that Hollywood and the left are more concerned with selling films in China than standing up against the regime’s human rights abuses. She demands that the endorsement of Beijing’s claims to the South China Sea in the “Barbie” movie be taken seriously.
China’s Response and the Geopolitical Dispute
China has reacted to the controversy surrounding the “Barbie” movie, but their response has not been disclosed at this time. The inclusion of the map underscores the ongoing dispute over the South China Sea. The region’s ownership has been a point of contention between multiple countries, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
Conclusion
As the controversy surrounding the “Barbie” movie and its inclusion of a map endorsing China’s claims over the South China Sea continues to escalate, GOP lawmakers are accusing Hollywood of aligning with the Chinese Communist Party. The film industry’s reliance on the Chinese market for profit is being criticized for overshadowing Beijing’s human rights abuses. With Vietnam already banning the movie, the broader implications on national security and the US’s stance in the geopolitical dispute remain to be seen.
