Vietnam fines Volkswagen for car app displaying South China Sea

Vietnamese authorities said Tuesday they will fineGerman carmaker Volkswagen after the company admitted displaying carsat a Vietnam motor show that included a controversial map showingBeijing's competing territorial claims in the South China Sea.A statement released by the General Department of Vietnam Customssaid that Volkswagen Vietnam will face a fine of between 860 and 1724dollars.World Auto Company, which was responsible for importing the car forthe event, also faces a ban on operations for between six and ninemonths.The fine comes after Volkswagen Vietnam borrowed two Touareg SUVsfrom a Chinese partner for a motor show, which took place in Ho ChiMinh City from October 23-27. Volkswagen said they knew about the mapand tried to block the app in the cars, but some visitors were stillable to access it.Several countries across South-East Asia are making competingsovereignty claims to parts of the South China Sea where oil and gasexploration is a highly fraught issue in both China and Vietnam.The so-called "nine-dash line" is used by China to demarcate about 80per cent of the South China Sea, was removed from navigation appslast month by a Vietnamese distributor of Chinese cars in northernVietnam.Also last month, Vietnam removed the DreamWorks animated film"Abominable" from cinemas after a scene emerged showing thecontroversial map.