Twenty-two international airlines have corrected the way they refer to Taiwan on their booking Web sites, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said in response to a written inquiry by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉).
Beijing in 2018 began requiring airlines that fly to Chinese airports to refer to Taiwan in their booking systems as “Taiwan, China” or “Taiwan Area.” Although there are still 39 airlines that refer to Taiwan in one of these two ways, 22 companies have corrected their systems to refer to the nation as “Taiwan,” Chiu said on Saturday, citing the ministry.
However, it would not reveal the carriers’ names out of concern that China might again pressure them into reversing course, the ministry said.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
In January 2018, China demanded that US hotel chain Marriott International Inc change its Web site and mobile app, which at the time listed Taiwan as a country, the ministry said, adding that a number of other companies also came under pressure afterward.
In April 2018, Beijing started to demand that international airlines add the word “China” after any reference to Taiwan in their systems, giving them 30 days to make the changes, which was later extended to July 25, the ministry said.
China threatened the airlines, saying that it would employ legal measures to “punish” them if they did not comply and would seek “administrative penalties” against them, it said.
Many major carriers, including Air Canada, British Airways PLC, Air France and Lufthansa AG, complied with China’s demands, but some maintained a flexible approach rather than outright compliance, it added.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China in July 2018 said in a press release that 44 international airlines had fully complied with Beijing’s demands on how they referred to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, but that there were still four US airlines that had not implemented sufficient changes.
It would review the situation and decide whether to enact “civil aviation administrative procedures,” the agency said at the time.
There is an opportunity now to approach airlines about rectifying how they refer to Taiwan, as the worldwide aviation industry suffers from the COVID-19 pandemic and Taiwan has been successful in keeping the disease at bay, Chiu said.
Increasing praise and support for Taiwan, alongside growing antipathy toward China, have been evident in the US’ and European countries’ support for Taiwan’s participation in the WHO, he said.
The ministry should seek to take advantage of the current situation to counter Chinese pressure on Taiwan on the international stage, he said.
Taiwan’s flag carrier, China Airlines Ltd (中華航空), should take the lead on the issue by removing the word “China” from its name, he said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old