China and US rift widens
beijing — China has dismissed White House criticism of its “Orwellian” demand that foreign airlines not refer to self-ruled Taiwan as a country, saying companies operating in China must respect its sovereignty.
“Whatever the US says will never change the objective fact that there is only one China in the world and the Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions are an inalienable part of China’s territory,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in a statement on Sunday posted online.
“Foreign enterprises operating in China should respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, abide by China’s law and respect the national sentiment of the Chinese people,” Geng said.
Unlike self-ruled Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau are Chinese territories operating with some degree of autonomy.
Taiwan’s independence-leaning president, Tsai Ing-wen, weighed in with a tweet, saying, “We call on all businesses to resist (hash)China’s efforts to mischaracterise (hash)Taiwan.”
The government of Chinese President Xi Jinping has been increasingly assertive about its claims to Taiwan, which it has threatened to invade to bring under its control. Delta Air Lines, hotel operator Marriott, fashion brand Zara and other companies have apologised to China for referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet as countries on websites or promotional material.
The White House on Saturday condemned China’s efforts to control how US airlines refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, saying the push to make them comply with Chinese standards is “Orwellian nonsense.”
China’s Civil Aviation Administration has demanded the change from 36 foreign airlines, including some American carriers, according to the White House. US President Donald Trump will “stand up for Americans resisting efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to impose Chinese political correctness on American companies and citizens,” press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.
“This is Orwellian nonsense and part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies,” Sanders said. She said the Trump administration is calling on China “to stop threatening and coercing American carriers and citizens.”
The harshly worded statement came as a high-level trade delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin returned from negotiations in China and as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with a member of the Chinese Communist Party leadership.
In their telephone conversation on Saturday, Pompeo and Politburo member Yang Jiechi “affirmed the importance of a constructive, resultsoriented bilateral relationship,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.
Australian carrier Qantas is among the airlines told to change how they refer to Taiwan, prompting comments from Foreign Minister Julie Bishop that any such pressure is inappropriate.