The Vietnamese authorities have imposed a fine on Volkswagen because a group navigation app spent large parts of the South China Sea as China's territory. The representation had violated the sovereignty of Vietnam, the Vietnamese Customs Office said.
The demarcation attracted a visitor to the auto show in Ho Chi Minh City. Dashed lines to the controversial sea area on the map have been shown as a Chinese territory. VW spokesman in Wolfsburg confirmed the case on Tuesday, but pointed out that further details are still under investigation. "We are in contact with the private importer." The car was therefore imported from China.
Volkswagen should now pay a fine between the equivalent of about 772 and 1544 euros, according to the authority. The company World Auto Company, which was responsible for the introduction of the car from China, must therefore stop their operations for six to nine months.
China claims practically the entire South China Sea for itself. For years, the People's Republic has been in conflict with countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
