PM requests close watch on Facebook’s correction of faulty map

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Minister of Information and Communications to keep a close watch on Facebook’s correction of its map on Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, not allowing a repeated incident.

Facebook had previously posted an online map wrongfully depicting the two archipelagoes as Chinese territory, which fueled public concern.

The Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information under the Ministry of Information and Communications asked the social network to fix the problem.

Facebook’s spokesperson admitted that it was a purely technical mistake and that the social media site has corrected the error and is implementing the updated version globally.

Le Quang Tu Do, deputy head of the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information said that as of the afternoon on July 2, the two islands were no longer marked as Chinese on Facebook’s map.

“It can be said that this is one success for Vietnam in fighting for its national sovereignty,” Do said.