Toy controversy: Việt Nam calls for boycott over disputed map imagery

A Baby Three doll suspected of featuring the 'cow's tongue line' decoration on its cheek. — Photo nld.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — A once-popular toy that took Việt Nam’s market by storm is now facing a sudden backlash and widespread boycott over allegations that it features imagery violating the country’s territory and sovereignty.

Launched in May 2024, the adorable Baby Three figurines, sold in random 'blind bags,' quickly became a sensation among Việt Nam’s toy-collecting community.

Industry figures show that Baby Three generated approximately VNĐ41 billion (US$1.6 million) in sales in 2024, despite only gaining traction in Việt Nam from September.

However, the toy’s success was abruptly derailed by public outrage and a boycott movement after suspicions arose that its design included imagery breaching Việt Nam’s territorial sovereignty.

Specifically, the Baby Three Lily Rabbit Town V2 edition has been accused of depicting China’s nine-dash line, known in Việt Nam as the 'cow’s tongue line,' which represents an infringement of Việt Nam’s sovereignty in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea).

The boycott gained traction as several brands and digital content creators publicly cut ties with the toy’s Chinese manufacturer.

Đặng Tiến Hoàng, a content creator with over 800,000 Facebook followers, announced he would stop importing and selling Baby Three due to the controversial imagery in the Lily Rabbit Town V2 edition.

"While Baby Three provided a steady income, the nation’s territory and sovereignty come first," Hoàng said.

Eyewear brand Anna Eyeglasses, which had been negotiating a deal to produce 10,000 Baby Three units for an April 2025 collection, also terminated its partnership after learning of the allegations.

Consumers have echoed these concerns.

Ngọc Cát, a young Hà Nội resident, pointed out that this was not the first time a product had been subtly infused with political undertones.

"Manufacturers are playing a game of repeating a lie until it’s accepted as truth," Cát said.

"If Vietnamese consumers don’t react strongly, more products with political elements will follow. National territory and sovereignty are sacred and cannot be violated or compromised."

Trần Hà Phương, a collector from HCM City who owned a dozen Baby Three figurines, said she had stopped using them and urged friends to join the boycott after learning about the controversy.

"If the manufacturer intended this, it deserves a complete boycott," Phương said.

Chu Thân Vy, an administrator of several Facebook trading groups, confirmed that any product featuring content or imagery violating Việt Nam’s sovereignty must be removed. Baby Three items have now been banned from transactions in the groups she manages.

In response to the uproar, DaPiaoLiang, the Chinese company behind Baby Three, issued a statement asserting that the design on the Lily Rabbit Town V2 edition was merely an abstract artistic creation, with no political meaning or reference to specific geographic features.

The explanation, however, has failed to convince Vietnamese consumers.

Reports indicate that the manufacturer plans to open exchange booths—locations to be announced soon—allowing Vietnamese retailers to swap Lily Rabbit Town V2 products for new ones.

Amid the controversy, Việt Nam’s Department of Domestic Market Management and Development issued Official Dispatch No. 44/TTTN-NV , calling for heightened inspections of toys featuring imagery related to the country’s territory and sovereignty. — VNS