Chinese tea chain Chagee has once again landed in hot water with Malaysia’s censorious consumers after its mobile app displayed a map with Beijing’s disputed nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea, sparking boycott calls and nationalist outrage.
Southeast Asia is in the throes of a boom in Chinese food and drinks brands, driven by rising wealth and a shift in consumer attitudes towards American chains.
While Chinese products – from bubble tea to electric vehicles – are widely embraced, tensions persist over Beijing’s expansive claims in the resource-rich waterway, which overlap with those of Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.
In Malaysia, calls to shun Chagee spread on social media after users discovered that its app prominently displayed the controversial nine-dash line. The Facebook group “Malaysian-souled Chinese” was among those leading the charge.
This brand “has insulted the sovereignty of our maritime region,” the group posted.
“As Malaysians, we must stand together. I call on our patriotic brothers and sisters to boycott this brand to defend the sovereignty and dignity of our country.”