Photo: Screenshot of online video

 
A woman in a car with embassy license plate, which was parked in the middle of the road and blocked the traffic in Beijing on Sunday, apologized on Wednesday, as she arrogantly ignored other drivers' prompts and claimed that she had diplomatic immunity, causing online public outrage. Local traffic management authorities in Beijing announced that they had issued a fine to the individual. 

An online video of an individual engaged in illegal parking in Beijing attracted widespread public attention. In the video, the woman, who appeared to be Yu Qi, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), sat inside the car and responded to some complaints in an arrogant way by saying that "Do you know what an embassy car is? Do you understand the diplomatic immunity?" 

The vehicle was parked illegally, blocking the road at the entrance of a residential area in Beijing. 

The video caused the public outrage on Chinese social media on Tuesday. Some netizens questioned whether diplomatic immunity can be applied in blatant traffic violations. 

"As legitimate international organization, it indeed has diplomatic immunity. But using official vehicle for personal purposes and committing traffic violations constitute misconduct and abuse of power. It should be dealt with according to the law," another netizen commented. 

According to a preliminary investigation by the police, the vehicle in question is registered to an international organization. On Sunday morning, a man surnamed Xu, who is 61 years old, and a 58-year-old woman surnamed Yu, who is employed by the international organization, drove to the location and parked the car on the road, violating parking management regulations and obstructing passing vehicles, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said on Wednesday. 

Prompted by others to move, they refused to move the car, insulted others, and made inappropriate remarks, causing a negative social impact, police said. 

The traffic police issued a fine for the violation. While officials also uncovered an instance of Xu and Yu owning a dog without proper registration during the investigation, and the local public security authority has taken appropriate action according to legal procedures, the authority said. 

The local public security authority has initiated an administrative case linked to Yu's public security violations. 

In a video obtained by the Beijing News on Wednesday, Yu bowed twice and apologized to the public for her inappropriate remarks. 

"I also realize that my actions have negatively affected the international organization I represent, and I feel deeply remorseful for that," she said in the video. 

Headquartered in Beijing, APSCO was inaugurated in 2008 as an inter-governmental organization, providing a cooperative mechanism for developing countries in the region to be able to main stream peaceful use of space as a drive of development, according to the organization's website. 

By resource sharing in space science, space technology and space application, APSCO promotes multilateral cooperation to facilitate capacity building of its members such as Bangladesh, China, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, Thailand and Turkey. 

Global Times