Chagee quietly fixed the app containing the 'nine-dash line' on iOS; the Android version remains unaddressed.

Chagee, a Chinese bubble tea brand, was preparing to launch in the Vietnamese market but quickly faced strong opposition from users for using an image of a map containing the illegal "nine-dash line" (cow tongue line) related to Vietnam's sovereignty on its app and website.

Following complaints from Vietnamese users on the evening of March 14th, Chagee quickly removed its iOS and Android apps for Vietnam from app stores; however, versions for other markets remained. On March 17th, the Chagee app on iOS quietly updated with a "bug fix" and removed the map image containing the "nine-dash line" from the login screen.

The "Chagee" app on iOS has removed the "nine-dash line" image, while the Android version has kept it.

According to Thanh Nien 's inspection at the same time, the similar software on the Android platform has not changed, and the illegal map image still shows the entire Asia- Pacific (APAC) region, where the application is released to users in countries where the brand is present. Despite having a "Vietnam" option in the list of countries on the application, neither the iOS nor the Android version is currently available on Vietnamese app stores; it only appears to users in other countries.

On the Vietnamese App Store (iOS), only the "Chagee HK" app is available as a version specifically for the Hong Kong market. However, this software is also receiving many 1-star reviews (equivalent to "Terrible") from Vietnamese users, expressing outrage at its blatant propaganda and the inclusion of content that violates Vietnam's sovereignty online.

Similarly, this Chinese company's website still uses the nine-dash line map along with inaccurate information about the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelagos, which are under Vietnamese sovereignty.

The incident has dragged on for days, but to date, Chagee and its operator in Vietnam have remained silent. This Chinese bubble tea brand is expected to open its first store in Ho Chi Minh City soon. Currently, the Vietnamese internet community is calling for a boycott of the brand to protest its violation of sovereignty.

Numerous fake Chagee accounts impersonating the character have caused outrage.

Users who had previously downloaded the Chagee app decided to delete the software from their devices and declared "We will not use products from this brand" in protest against the infringement.

Taking advantage of the boycott of the Chagee brand and the outrage of the user community, some opportunists have created fake accounts using the name Chagee or Chagee VN (Vietnam) on popular social media platforms, then commented or posted provocative and challenging content.

While strongly condemning Chagee's actions, many users also criticized the actions of those impersonators who profited from the scandal by seeking likes and interactions. This is seen as an "unethical" act by a small group of internet users, which does not benefit the community at a time when everyone is protesting wrongdoing with determination and civility, clearly demonstrating a sense of sovereignty.

In addition to calling for a boycott and declaring they will not use Chagee tea products when they go on sale in Vietnam, users who had downloaded the app to participate in the early bird pre-order program are also starting to delete the software from their devices. The boycotting group is urging everyone to unite to protect Vietnam's digital sovereignty in cyberspace, and not to support brands that do not respect Vietnam's territorial integrity for the sake of promotions or giveaways.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chagee-am-tham-sua-ung-dung-co-duong-luoi-bo-tren-ios-ban-android-chua-khac-phuc-185250318092325892.htm