Netflix has removed two episodes from the political thriller Pine Gap after complaints from the government of the Philippines, which claimed maps shown in the series “unfit for public exhibition.”
Specifically, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs claimed that the maps perpetuated the narrative that China controls specific portions of the South China Sea, according to a CNN article covering the controversy. The DFA said it was “no accident as it was consciously designed and calculated to specifically convey a message that China’s nine-dash line legitimately exists”.
The nine-dash line is a major point of contention among various southeast Asian nations. Using the nine-dash line, China claims ownership of most of the South China Sea and specifically, areas that are full of resources. The Philippines are joined by the likes of Vietnam, Taiwan, and Malaysia in contesting China’s claims.
Due to the complaints by the DFA, Netflix removed the second and third episodes in the Philippines. The entire show had also been removed in Vietnam due to similar complaints regarding the maps.
Netflix offered no further comment about the issue other than initially saying it removed the episodes due to “government demand.”