US lawmakers have lashed out at Beijing setting a deadline for US airlines to alter references to Taiwan to eliminate any connotation that the self-ruling island was a sovereign state.
Since Wednesday, United, Delta and American Airlines have removed Taiwan from their country lists and instead started displaying only names of Taiwanese cities they serve. Whereas previously the Taiwanese capital was listed as “Taipei, Taiwan,” it is now listed simply as “Taipei.”
The changes were made just in time to conform to a Wednesday deadline set by Beijing in an ultimatum to global carriers to make how they refer to Taiwan comply with Beijing’s assertions of sovereignty over the island.
In Washington, lawmakers on both sides of the congressional aisle have united in condemnation of Beijing. Republican Senator Cory Gardner and his Democratic counterpart Edward Markey on Thursday convened a subcommittee hearing to discuss China’s diplomatic efforts to isolate Taiwan. The hearing was attended by other US lawmakers who had vented their outrage in either official statements or on social media.
“It’s disappointing that the [airlines] complied with this ultimatum, but the Chinese Communist Party’s obsession with Taiwan — the only democracy on Chinese soil — is pathetic,” said Republic Senator Tom Cotton. “These demands are the mark of insecure, impotent leaders who know the future will not belong to them.”
“US airlines caving to China’s [pressure] is another bad precedent that will only encourage more bullying… [in Beijing’s] attempts to mold the world in its malignant image,” said Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
“An edit to a website won’t change the fact that Taiwan exists and is an important US ally,” said Republican US Representative Paul Cook.
Taiwan’s semi-official Central News Agency reported that Taipei’s de facto embassy in Washington had already expressed deep gratitude to these lawmakers for speaking up for the island.
Beijing is not happy about apparent foot-dragging by the US airlines either, and the Civil Aviation Administration of China said the carriers’ website rectifications were “incomplete and not entirely consistent”, but it didn’t elaborate further.
Some suspect that Beijing is still not satisfied with the workaround that simply pulls the word “Taiwan” from their websites, since as Chinese cadres see it, international airlines should unequivocally categorize Taipei, Kaohsiung and any other Taiwanese cities they fly to under China.
It is also noteworthy that United and Delta have removed “China” from search results for cities on the Chinese mainland.
CAAC noted on Friday that the US trio, as well as Hawaiian Airlines, had on Wednesday sought another two-week extension for them to make tweaks to their websites and booking systems, adding that it would consider whether to take measures “should these changes do not advance further”.
The airlines stressed that thorough changes to their references to Taiwan required time to be put into practice.
It remains unclear how Beijing might punish airlines whose changes are deemed as incomplete, but the CAAC may apply red tape when these airlines apply for more time slots or new routes. China is now the world’s second largest civil aviation market.
A United representative based in Beijing told the Global Times that the airline had already begun to roll out changes to its systems to address China’s requirements.
Just comply. They made a big mistake to involve politic. Nobody is happy. It will cost them a lot of goodwill.
Ground the Hawaian airlines until it complies.
Your statement makes no sense. This is a political issue that is being applied to economics by the Chinese government. While understandable, there are many nations in the world that do not agree with China’s approach to this historical problem, but accept it for political and economic reasons. China is in danger of being the one that is the losing party here, as nations become wary of this great nation’s government’s approach. Like the US or Russia, great nations can make great mistakes. I just hope this will not be one of them.
Toothless they may appear, but they are barking. Dogs do not usually bark without reason. While I think that US influence in Asia needs to be checked, the danger is that China might return to pre-revolutionary imperial ambitions. China is rapidly becoming more powerful and wealthy than it has aver been. Let those around it seek to become part of it rather than making them be part of it against their will.
“An edit to a website won’t change the fact that Taiwan exists and is an important US ally,” said Republican US Representative Paul Cook.
At first glance it seems that this statement
sayin Taiwan is an important US ally is a breathe of fresh oxygen for those who still believes in America being the land of the free and the brave!
Unfortunately for ‘US Ally’ Taiwan it seems that Washington only has only been supplying obnoxious CO2 to the democratic Island Republic ever since President Carter unfortunately backstabbed the important ‘US ally ‘ by switching diplomatic ties to communist China.
Maybe it’s high time for Mr. Webster to redefine the meaning of the word ally?
Be it as it may this usurperous gambit by silent partners Uncle Sam and Chairman Mao did not stop Taiwan from becoming a true bastion of freedom and democracy and instead remained steadfastly independent in this part of the world where even the once mighty Japan is not!
This backdoor shuffles by the most powerful country in this planet against Free Taiwan only made America the virtual modern Pinocchio of the Universe!
Ichabod may ask Why?
Let us begin by counting our pumpkins !
If — United States of America— President Donald Trump can shake hands and do some selfies with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un in Singapore then why can’t Uncle Trumpy do the same with —the freely and democratically elected — Republic of China-Taiwan — President Tsai Ing Won in say … the island bastion of freedom Kin Men?
How about you PM Shinzo Abe?
“An edit to a website won’t change the fact that Taiwan exists and is an important US ally,” said Republican US Representative Paul Cook.
At first glance it seems that this statement
sayin Taiwan is an important US ally is a breathe of fresh oxygen for those who still believes in America being the land of the free and the brave!
Unfortunately for ‘US Ally’ Taiwan it seems that Washington has only been supplying obnoxious CO2 to the democratic Island Republic ever since President Carter unfortunately backstabbed the important ‘US ally ‘ by switching diplomatic ties to communist China.
Maybe it’s high time for Mr. Webster to redefine the meaning of the word ally?
Be it as it may this usurperous gambit by silent partners Uncle Sam and Chairman Mao did not stop Taiwan from becoming a true bastion of freedom and democracy and instead remained steadfastly independent in this part of the world where even the once mighty Japan is not!
This backdoor shuffles by the most powerful country in this planet against Free Taiwan only made America the virtual modern Pinocchio of the Universe!
Ichabod may ask Why?
Let us begin by counting our pumpkins !
If — United States of America— President Donald Trump can shake hands and do some selfies with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un in Singapore then why can’t Uncle Trumpy do the same with —the freely and democratically elected — Republic of China-Taiwan — President Tsai Ing Won in say … the island bastion of freedom Kin Men?
How about you PM Shinzo Abe?
Taiwan should declare independence decaded ago then they wont have this predicament now. Its not yet too late but a bit complicated
The more you yield，the more they pressured－no end seen except all the freedom/democratic loving countries united together to act against Xi’s red demand by pulling investment out from China
Helmut Joshua Kostreba , great nation ?…