Vietnamese Billiards Player Exits Chinese Friendly Event to Protest Disputed ‘9-Dash Line’ Map

Deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, Nguyen Nam Nhan, announced that Chien, a billiards player from Vietnam, was invited to participate in a friendly tournament organized by the Union Mondiale de Billard (the World Union of Billiards) and the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association in Shanghai on the weekend.

The tournament included three other top billiards players, namely Dick Jaspers from the Netherlands, Tayfun Tasdemir from Turkey, and Cho Myung Woo from South Korea.

During the match between Chien and Dick Jaspers on Saturday, a live broadcast incorporated an image of China’s controversial ‘nine-dash line’ map, which China uses to assert its sovereignty over the East Vietnam Sea. Although Chien did not see the image during the match, he was later informed about it.

Chien attended the tournament without a coach or assistant. After discussing the issue with Nguyen Viet Hoa, the head coach of the Ho Chi Minh City billiards team, Chien decided to withdraw from the tournament and return to Vietnam immediately.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports consistently advises coaches and athletes competing abroad to be vigilant in protecting Vietnam’s image and sovereignty.

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