China has rolled out stricter measures to manage diplomatic vehicles since January, and vowed to strictly implement the rules for traffic violations.
The Provisions on Diplomatic Vehicles Management stipulates that traffic violations by diplomatic vehicles shall be subject to punishment in strict accordance with the law and due procedures, Geng Shuang, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said at a daily briefing on Friday.
The provisions are aimed at better regulating diplomatic vehicles, including specific requirements for driving permits and compulsory purchase of third-party liability insurance of no less than 1 million yuan ($146,000).
"Traffic violations by the holders of diplomatic passports create uncertainties for China's security and sovereignty," Li explained.
Chinese social media fiercely debated diplomatic immunity in June 2016, after Chen Lin, a journalist from Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television, made accusations that a vehicle registered to the US Embassy in Beijing had scratched her car and allegedly caused her injuries, for which she received no apology.
According to a post shared on her Sina Weibo account, she said a vehicle with a US Embassy license plate rubbed her car and drove away from the scene, while she tried to stop the vehicle and in the process ran into the traffic stream and injured herself.
Lin said that police told her that the owners of the vehicle "may enjoy diplomatic immunity and it's difficult to punish them."
But according to the provisions, issued by the ministries of foreign affairs and public security as well as the General Administration of Customs and State Administration of Taxation, law enforcement officers have the right to impose punishment, and drivers of diplomatic vehicles will have to pay the fine or accept other punishment.
"Drivers of diplomatic vehicles who violate the road traffic safety law shall also be subject to the demerit point system in China. Traffic management departments have the right to seige the driving licenses when the accumulated points reach a specific level, and the driving license will be returned only when the drivers pass the road traffic safety law tests," said the provisions.
China has rolled out stricter measures to manage diplomatic vehicles since January, and vowed to strictly implement the rules for traffic violations.
