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US Airlines Change Taiwan Reference On Websites Ahead of Chinese Deadline (cnbc.com)
hackingbear writes from a report via CNBC: After dragging their feet for months and requesting help from the Trump administration, all three major U.S. airlines -- American, Delta and United -- decided to change how they refer to Taiwan airports on their websites to avoid Chinese penalties right before the Wednesday deadline. Earlier this year, China demanded that foreign firms, and airlines in particular, not refer to Taiwan as a non-Chinese territory on their websites, as such practice violates Chinese laws. The White House in May slammed the demand as "Orwellian nonsense." Numerous non-U.S. airlines including Air Canada, Lufthansa, and British Airways had already made changes to their websites. The airlines "now only list Taipei's airport code and city, but not the name Taiwan," reports CNBC. It was unclear how China might punish airlines that don't comply, but it did add a clause saying regulators could change a company's permit if it did not meet "the demand of public interest." An American Airlines spokeswoman said in a statement: "Air travel is global business, and we abide by the rules in countries where we operate."
Xi Jinping has made his ambitions very clear. And we will do nothing to stop it.
This does not require some massive invasion. Just bit by bit, Xi will tighten the screws. Threats will work just fine as the rest of the world abandons Taiwan.
It will be like Hong Kong. At first China will just demand a token governor be appointed, with only ceremonial powers, as symbolic recognition. Then they may give Taiwan a seat on the Chinese politburo, appointed by the Chinese government. Then closer police cooperation.
Taiwan will do what everyone does and self censor. Radicals that want to push back will be censored by the Taiwanese themselves. Bit by bit that governor will become more powerful.
This is what is called excercising soft power. Soft power is developed over time through financial and political influence. It is easily lost through buffoonery, name calling, and ineffectiveness. China has soft power. They rarely threaten or comment without taking action. Their financial situation and power affects every country in the world.
Essentially the Chinese have learned the mantra "Speak softly and carry and big stick." American government has done just the opposite.
For instance - making comments like XXX will suffer consequences, or "our nukes are bigger than yours" are exactly the kind of threat that destroys soft power. They are threats that are rarely or never acted upon, and they undermine your credibility.
Our current administration has spent every last big of political capitol that the United States had left. No one is afraid of us. We are no longer the biggest dog in the room, and we continue to put our fingers in too many holes in the dyke rather than picking our battles carefully.
An American Airlines spokeswoman said in a statement: "Air travel is global business, and we abide by the rules in countries where we operate."
In some countries they require women to wear burkas so American Airlines is planning this for all their female stewardesses and pilots world-wide?
Xi Jinping has made his ambitions very clear. And we will do nothing to stop it.
People will make shit up, and no one will call them on it.
Trump is most definitely the "pushback" president: he pushed back against North Korea, he's currently pushing back against Iran, he's pushing back against unfair trade practices from allies and adversaries, and he pushed back against terrorism by defeating ISIS.
He has no problem taking direct action to stop something, so I have to ask:
Where did you purchase your crystal ball?
Look mate, if you're going to try sarcasm or subtlety *anywhere* near even a *mention* of Trump, you're going to lose. There is no way to go over the top of what he does. He already does stuff so batshit loopy that it's impossible to satirise.
If you write what you wrote earlier, I'll believe that's what you think, and *I'll* think you are just an idiot.
Entertainment companies trip over themselves to use geoblocking: Prime video, Netflix, even YouTube movie trailers are locked down by geography. How come airlines are so hesitant to use geolocation to identify the jurisdiction of whom they are serving.
Present Taiwan as a part of China in China (or wherever local laws demand). Present it as an independent country elsewhere. A Chinese national using aa.com when visiting Taipei should see 'Taipei, Taiwan'. When he's back in Beijing, aa.com should show him 'Taipei, China'
Can't all the free nations of the world demand that airlines list Taipei as "Taipei, Taiwan", or face repercussions which mirror whatever China does if they don't? Yes it puts the airlines in a lose-lose situation. But it'll leave them free to vote their conscience instead of knuckling under extortion.