HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam Customs on Monday decided to confiscate a luxury car after its GPS map was found to display China’s illegal nine-dash line in the East Sea.

The General Department of Customs said that all competent Government agencies in a meeting on the incident had unilaterally agreed that such a violation must be handled strictly.

The car in question was a five-seater Volkswagen Touareg which was imported into Việt Nam by the Auto World JSC,Co. Volkswagen Việt Nam company later brought the car to showcase at the Vietnam International Motor Show 2019 last month in HCM City.    

According to the customs department, the Auto World company will be fined between VNĐ40 million and VNĐ60 million (US$1,700-$2,600) for importing a vehicle equipped with GPS software displaying incorrect images of Việt Nam’s sea and island territory.

Volkswagen Việt Nam, meanwhile, will have to pay a penalty of between VNĐ20 million and VNĐ40 million for exhibiting the vehicle.

The evidence in the case – the car which is worth more than VNĐ4 billion ($173,000) – will also be confiscated, said customs.

China established a so-called nine-dashed line to claim more than 90 per cent of the East Sea, internationally known as the South China Sea. The line was rejected internationally as it did not conform to the prevailing international law of the sea.

Việt Nam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims in the waters which is believed to be rich in energy resources. — VNS