MANILA (DPA) - The Philippines' foreign affairs chief on Wednesday (Oct 16) said he wants a scene in the animated film Abominable removed because it depicts China's disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The Dreamworks' movie features China's controversial "nine-dash line" map, which shows Beijing's territorial claims in the contested waters. Many countries in the region, including the Philippines, have overlapping claims in the sea and reject Beijing's map.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr wrote on Twitter that cutting the scene for Philippine movegoers was a better option than banning the movie altogether in the country.

"Of course they should cut out the offending scene which will show our displeasure better than if we unconstitutionally ban it as some suggest," Mr Locsin said on Twitter.

He earlier had called for a "universal boycott" of all films by Dreamworks.

Mr Locsin made the remarks after Vietnam ordered the movie pulled from cinemas because of the scene.

Removing it from Philippine cinemas is up to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday. "It would depend on the MTRCB's assessment," he said.

The film is currently being shown in the Philippines.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan claim parts of the South China Sea while China claims almost the entire sealane.