Under pressure from China, Qantas is updating its website content after admitting an ‘oversight’ by listing Taiwan as a separate nation.
"Due to an oversight, some Chinese territories were incorrectly listed as countries on parts of our website. We are correcting this error," a Qantas statement. said
The issue was brought into focus last week when authorities shut down Marriott International’s online presence in China for listing Taiwan, Tibet, Macau and Hong Kong as separate countries in a survey, sparking anger from Beijing.
Marriott was forced to apologise and Delta Air Lines also did the same the following day.
China’s civil aviation authority urged all airlines flying to China to closely audit their website content and make immediate changes where necessary.
The same rules apply to all industries.
"We welcome foreign corporations’ investment and operation in China. Meanwhile, they should respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, abide by China’s laws and respect Chinese people’s national feelings," said ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson Lu Kang.
According to state media outlet The Paper, a total of 24 foreign airlines listed either Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan as an independent sovereign state.
