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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."

114 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Free Taiwan is dead by aberglas · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      China's leadership IS focused on Taiwan. In 10 years their successors will be saying 'WTF where they thinking?' But in Cantonese (not Mandarin).

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    2. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 2

      It very well may go as you fear; certainly China is working hard to make sure it does. But there's one basic difference between Taiwan and Hong Kong--Hong Kong was tied to a 99-year lease that ran out. There really wasn't much recourse once the lease ran out. Taiwan doesn't face a similar problem.

    3. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by taiwanjohn · · Score: 4, Interesting

      At first China will just demand a token governor be appointed, with only ceremonial powers, as symbolic recognition.

      This would be a non-starter in Taiwan. The people have always favored the "status-quo" (as opposed to outright independence) simply to avoid friction with the mainland. But they chafe at this sort of diplomatic isolation, such as participating in the Olympics as "Chinese Taipei". The more the PRC pushes, the more they push the Taiwanese people away. I find it difficult to imagine any sort of "unification" beyond a superficial "Greater-China Federation" agreement wherein PRC and ROC are co-equal partners. Anything that smacks of control from the mainland will be resoundingly rejected by the population.

      I don't pretend to know how all this will work out in the long run, and I would be skeptical of anyone who claims to know.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve your problem, you're not using enough of it. --AC
    4. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by jrumney · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Taiwan is nothing like Hong Kong. It is a breakaway republic started by an exiled former government. Hong Kong was leased for a fixed period, and the handover back to China and gradual transition was planned all along.

    5. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by jrumney · · Score: 2

      Why Cantonese? Are you expecting a new dynasty from the south to take over politically within the next 10 years? From the ground, it appears the opposite is happening - it is becoming more common to hear Mandarin in the streets of Hong Kong than Cantonese these days.

    6. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by HornWumpus · · Score: 2

      The economic power is in the south.

      I'm expecting a credit crunch induced global _mess_. We can't all keep printing money, then pissing it away. But the Machiavellian plays mean nobody can stop, even if they wanted to...

      You peg to our currency, we print money. We print money, you print money. You change your peg to a basket, everybody prints. It's a party or it's a war, nobody knows for sure, all we know is 'they' are still talking and smiling at each other and money is cheap.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    7. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by quenda · · Score: 2, Informative

      Taiwan is nothing like Hong Kong. It is a breakaway republic

      It was if you swallow the propaganda. Or you could as easily say the PRC broke away from the RoC.
      The republic of China was forced to shift their capital from Beijing to Taipei, just as Israel did to Tel Aviv, or Germany to Bonn.
      The country was split by war, like Korea and so many others.

      The problem is that the Kuomintang never declared independence, but absurdly claimed to rightfully rule all of China. This somehow worked for a couple of decades, but in 1971, the UN recognised communists PRC instead.
      Now that communism is dead in all but name, you'd think a negotiation might be possible, but Taiwan is not keen on going back to authoritarian single party rule. I think we will have a stalemate for a long time to come. But then look what happened to east/west Germany so suddenly and unexpectedly.

    8. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by haruchai · · Score: 2

      It is a breakaway republic started by an exiled former government..

      That's a giant load of horsefeathers. FYI, Taiwan held a seat at the UN as China until 1971 when Nixon struck a deal with Mao

      --
      Pain is merely failure leaving the body
    9. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      The economic power is in the south.

      True ... in Shenzhen ... which is a Mandarin speaking city.

    10. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      Also, Taiwan has an army, while HK did not. If they feely they are being abandoned, they have the industrial base to build nukes within a few months.

    11. Re: Free Taiwan is dead by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Mainland would declare any faction supporting that to be terrorists.

      There would be no public debate. They would be made in secret, and then announced. At that point there would be nothing the mainland could do. Any attempt to militarily intervene would mean the loss of their coastal cities.

      The world doesn't need another India Pakistan situation.

      Nukes have brought peace. Another India-Pakistan war is becoming more and more unlikely. They are even compromising in Kashmir.

    12. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by aberglas · · Score: 2

      Indeed, Taiwan was ruled by Japan before that. Not by China since the 19th century. And it was independent before that.

      An important difference with Hong Kong is that HK never became properly democratic under the British -- the HK money did not want to give the masses any power. So there was a vacuum when China moved in. Taiwan has been properly democratic for decades.

      But I still think Xi will softly invade Taiwan, and we will look the the other way. Then they will start to put much more soft power on us, particularly when they have a few air craft carriers and a totally controlled domestic population.

      Emperor Xi is getting older. He rules China, now it is time to expand.

    13. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      There's much wrong in your comment.

      Taiwan is not a breakaway republic. Taiwan IS STILL officially called the Republic of China. The constitution STILL includes all of the mainland territory, and even included Outer Mongolia until recently. The constitution still uses terms like Huaxia which means literally China. ROC + PRC both actually use the term huaxia in their official names.

      Under the '92 consensus, both Taiwan and China basically agreed that there was one China, but they had differing opinions on what China exactly meant in terms of governance, etc.

      Hong Kong WASN'T leased for a fixed period. The New Territories were leased for a fixed period, while HK and Kowloon was given in fee simple.

    14. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      This is completely wrong. When you say 19th century. You mean 1895. That means for 95 years of the 19th century China had ruled Taiwan. And Taiwan was never independent since the 1600s. It was conquered by late Ming, and then later by the Qing.

    15. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by larryjoe · · Score: 1

      But I still think Xi will softly invade Taiwan, and we will look the the other way.

      China has been softly invading Taiwan for many years, and it's almost too late to reverse the effects. There are one million Taiwanese businessmen in China, businessmen who have financial incentives to support the mainland regardless of the effects on the island. China has discovered the secret weapon that is much more powerful than the thousands of missiles aimed at the island. Chinese people listen to money, and the Taiwan are no different. There is a corporate and individual brain and heart drain to the mainland based on financial rewards that will render the Taiwanese government impotent.

      Right now, the Chinese government is just playing with the rest of the world. These orders to kowtow to Chinese dictates don't matter for the status of Taiwan. They exist only to exert Chinese power and embarrass foreign governments in revenge for a past history of national humiliation. The soft invasion is not just an invasion of Taiwanese sovereignty but also of Western dignity.

    16. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Lurks · · Score: 5, Informative

      You don't seem to understand Taiwan and have misstated the situation.

      The current government of Taiwan is a pro-independence government. It's a democracy, and these people were voted in. There's no chance of China appointing anyone, that's just not going to happen. It's easy to make the mistake. China has been so successful at telling everyone that Taiwan == China that people start to believe it, but it simply isn't true.

      There is no plan for China to take over, there is no timetable. It is fundamentally not possible nor would the electorate accept any appointments by China.
      They're also pragmatists and have no interest in provoking China. This is why the status quo continues.

      However the PRC has essentially bribed or strong armed almost every nation on earth to avoid formal recognition of Taiwan as an independent country. This is shameful really, but money talks. This has real effects on Taiwan, like not being able to participate in international forums. However in other respects business carries on regardless of the word games. Countries can't have embassies in Taiwan, for example, but they have 'offices' that do exactly the same thing.

      It would be nice to see some leadership, from the US maybe, in resolving this absurd situation. It could start by addressing the current issue (economic threats on airlines that describe Taiwan as a country), and ideally... by formally recognising Taiwan. Trump even alluded to that, but ... it was just a bit of anti-China rhetoric it seems.

    17. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Xi Jinping is trying to make up for his TINY PENIS.

    18. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's interesting you mention Hong Kong, because that is really relevant here.

      People in Taiwan were watching how Hong Kong got treated, and they didn't like it at all. If the Chinese government had treated Hong Kong better, then Taiwan would have been much more willing to join.....but now there is too much opposition to that viewpoint, because they can see what will happen.

      To be clear, it isn't about economics or money: it's about freedom. The people in ROC see how Hong Kong has lost their freedoms, and they don't want to lose their own.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    19. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      I'm expecting a credit crunch induced global _mess_. We can't all keep printing money, then pissing it away./quote. OK, but for how long? Who's to say we can't keep doing that for a hundred more years?

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    20. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      What western dignity? The dignity that set fire to China, pushed opium on it, enslaved its people, and set up unequal treaties? That western dignity?

      Western countries deserve to be taken down a notch.

    21. Re: Free Taiwan is dead by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      The world doesn't need another India Pakistan situation.

      Unfortunately there are several looming on the horizon. Israel vs Iran to name just one.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    22. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Drethon · · Score: 1

      It would be nice to see some leadership, from the US maybe, in resolving this absurd situation. It could start by addressing the current issue (economic threats on airlines that describe Taiwan as a country), and ideally... by formally recognising Taiwan. Trump even alluded to that, but ... it was just a bit of anti-China rhetoric it seems.

      The US has voted out or fired most of its leadership... maybe in a few years things will be different.

      OK so maybe I'm just feeling a little bitter but that is the way things seem these days.

    23. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      That's like saying Britain is a breakaway republic of the US.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    24. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by nitehawk214 · · Score: 1

      And letting China invade Taiwan somehow is "comeuppance" for western countries, how?

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    25. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by amiga3D · · Score: 1

      Taiwan, or as I like to call it, The Republic of China. When we agreed to quit calling it that and use Taiwan instead, that was the beginning of the end. My dad always said, back in the 60s when the Cold War was raging, that China was the real enemy. I didn't believe him but as usual he was right.

    26. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by nanguo · · Score: 1

      I've never posted here in Slashdot before, but this author's ignorance irked me so much that I just have to come out and say something. Fortunately another commenter has stated the truth, so I only need to emphasize that he is wrong. It's understandable that many people get the complicated China/Hong Kong/Taiwan history wrong. But saying something one does not understand is irresponsible. It's the reason this time and age is labeled "post-truth".

    27. Re: Free Taiwan is dead by dnaumov · · Score: 1

      In quite a twist of irony, western countries should consider adopting legislation that was recently approved in Russia: criminal liability for both companies and itâ(TM)s owners for complying with sanctions set by âforeignâ entities.

    28. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by hackingbear · · Score: 2

      Shashdot simply omitted the history context from my original post

      In a move betraying to its former ally Taiwan, ROC, the United States signed into the One-China policy in a joint communique with China in 1972. Since the Republic of China government fret to Taiwan gave up its hope of "re-invading the mainland" (due to the rise and modernization of mainland China,) pro-independence and pro-unification political forces are competing for power to rule the island.

      In the 1970's China was weak and backward, it couldn't possibly bribe or strongarm the most powerful nation in the world. Yet the most powerful nation in the world went ahead to betray its own ally. So tell me why?

      Now that China is becoming a superpower of its own threatening the dominance of the US, and then they try to rally up political forces in Taiwan, Hongkong, and Tibet, as well as using trades, in an attempt to take down the number two, just like they tried (and succeed) when taking down the former number two -- Soviet Union.

      By the same logic / ideal of the West, Catalona and Haiwaii should be sovereign nations by now.

    29. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      They all speak some Mandarin for official purposes. What do they speak at home and on the streets in Shenzen?

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    30. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Don't try and time it. But 100 years...bloody unlikely.

      What happens when a relatively minor currency goes 'pop'? Say the pound or yen. Does it spread? If it spreads will it stop spreading?

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    31. Re: Free Taiwan is dead by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      In quite a twist of irony, western countries should consider adopting legislation that was recently approved in Russia: criminal liability for both companies and itÃ(TM)s owners for complying with sanctions set by 'foreign' entities.

      What a crock. One government making it illegal for a multinational company to obey the laws of another country just because they're the laws of another country. It's one thing to criminalize an activity that another country has not, but completely different to criminalize the simple act of obeying another country's laws.

      Perhaps we should criminalize any attempt at trademarking the word "it", or even just the inappropriate use of the contraction for "it is" when the possessive "its" should be used?

    32. Re: Free Taiwan is dead by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      If it's the Sterling, people will laugh at them for not joining the Euro. In the end, it will be somewhat more eventful than Argentina but no one remembers that. No one will do anything unless their banks are dependent on England to the point that they will collapse (which is what happened with Greece and Portugal). The real problem will happen when it becomes apparent that the US can't borrow enough to cover its expenses. But again, I don't see a trigger for that happening for 30 years at least.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    33. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by jrumney · · Score: 1

      So you first-time posted just to say I was wrong and rant about it, without any further clarification on what your version of right is?

    34. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by Lurks · · Score: 1

      They probably omitted it because it's a load of crap.

      There is no pro-unification party in Taiwan. The DPP, the guys in power, are pro-independence albeit in a practical sense, they're not going to declare independence. The other party are the KMT, the guys who historically considered themselves the rightful rulers of mainland China. They fought a civil war with the communist party so how exactly would they view unification do you think? *

      > try to rally up political forces in Taiwan, Hongkong, and Tibet,

      That's PRC propaganda. The people that rally up forces in those territories are the people that live there. The same group of people that the PRC habitually ignores in it's aggressive/invasive one china policy.

      > By the same logic / ideal of the West, Catalona and Haiwaii should be sovereign nations by now.

      Again, no, because that adopts the PRC's thinking. Catalonia, you can argue, since it's arguable there's a democratic mandate to be an independent state. And they (and Spain) are in charge of that, no one else. Hawai'i, the people of Hawai'i want to be American. Just like the people of Taiwan, want to be Taiwanese, and not Chinese. A fact that the PRC and the millions of brainwashed nationalist Chinese trolls somehow find of no consequence.

      It is, in fact, all that actually matters.

      * actually it is true that the KMT advocates closer ties to China, largely based on commercial interests.

    35. Re:Free Taiwan is dead by nanguo · · Score: 1

      Apparently you are so inundated by negative comments that you don't have time to read mine in its entirety, in which it says that "Fortunately another commenter has stated the truth". And to further save you time, the comment I alluded to is this one: "https://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=12399630&cid=57010728", although most others will do, too. It's not "my version of right". It's common knowledge of people not influenced by Chinese Orwellian nonsense.

  2. Re:Solution by PPH · · Score: 1

    What do you have against Winnie the Pooh?

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  3. Disputed Zone by AHuxley · · Score: 3

    In Capitalist West Communism directs language use to you.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  4. A better way around it by jrumney · · Score: 1

    Probably a better way to deal with the demand without capitulating is to change all China destinations to list the province instead of the country name.

  5. Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The US housing crisis required the Chinese to purchase US debt, propping up the American economy. The Chinese happily did to gain more global control while they manage their own economy. The airlines, strictly as companies, should be easy to control by Chinese public ownership due to their historical lack of profitability (and reliance on US government handouts, an example of how capitalism is unable to maintain quality because of long-term inflation causing substitution-of-goods problems for safety-critical capital (technology advances are unable to reduce costs quick enough to compensate for inflation when attempting to maintain constant quality of a good)).

    On the positive side, Taiwan ended their 48 years under martial law in 1987.

    With Hong Kong passing from British control to mainland China control in 1997 (Great Britain had lost her greatness as Hong Kong's economy grew quickly), it makes sense that the "wayward" province of Taiwan would be pursued for repatriation (it only took slightly more than 20 years).

  6. Priorities by GrahamJ · · Score: 2

    Who cares what the White House says? What does Taiwan have to say about it?

    1. Re:Priorities by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 2

      Who cares what the White House says? What does Taiwan have to say about it?

      They're pretty upset in general. Just like any place, there are some small numbers of crazy people and in this particular case I would call people who actively want Taiwan to become part of China right now if not sooner by the term "crazy". But such people aren't in large numbers, but they do exist. I'd say they're maybe 1% of the population at most. Now, you do need to understand that similar to how in the USA the Republicans and Democrats have demonized each other, Taiwan has a similar situation where the "pan-green coaltion" of independence minded parties enjoys accusing the "pan-blue coalition" (mostly the KMT - the old Nationalist party of Sun Yat Sen and Chiang Kai Shek) of wanting to surrender Taiwan to China ASAP. While there are probably a small number of KMT aligned people who do want that, as an outsider my opinion is that the vast majority of KMT members simply want Taiwan to survive as it is right now and to ensure that it does they are playing games with China in acting like reunification is their ultimate goal, but in reality they are actually just trying to keep Taiwan from being invaded.

      I read the Taipei Times online and I have a good friend who lives in Taiwan that I happened to have talked to a few days ago. Taiwanese people in general are pretty upset at this constant and unending erosion of their space everywhere. Lots of companies have now changed their websites to outright say that Taiwan is part of China. Honestly, this whole thing reminds me a hell of a lot of the Nazi takeover of Czechoslovakia where the world turned a blind eye. Can anybody here list a recent similar situation where a democratic country/territory (the later is for the crazy pro-Beijing nuts who might be here) was threatened with takeover simply for being democratic? You see the Taiwan poses 2 threats to Beijing. Number one is that it shows that a democracy can work with Chinese people. One of China's secret arguments, one that even Jacky Chan has publicly supported, is that Chinese people can't be trusted with democracy and need to be told what to do. The other threat is that lack of control over Taiwan prevents China from stopping oil shipments to Japan, who it still essentially views as an enemy who still must pay for the crimes it committed in WWII. A recent Chinese military document talked about that being an ultimate goal of China after they take over Taiwan. I know the world wants to ignore this and hope it goes away, but it won't and I can assure you that it is being ignored at everybody's peril and it just sends a message to bad actors like Xi and Putin that nobody in the west will stand up for the little guy if the big guys threaten him.

  7. Soft Power by Puls4r · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:Soft Power by omnichad · · Score: 2

      American government has done just the opposite.

      So you're saying Trump speaks bigly and has a soft stick? Sounds about right.

    2. Re:Soft Power by Pinky's+Brain · · Score: 1

      Appearing crazy is a soft power in and of itself.

      If Trump threatens disproportionate retaliation for not letting US companies use Taiwan, China will believe him.

    3. Re: Soft Power by Synonymous+Homonym · · Score: 1

      No, they won't. But they will pretend to, and thus put pressure on Trump's government.

    4. Re:Soft Power by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Not really. You can speak however you want but the reality is that everyone knows the limits as to what will ultimately happen unprovoked. Trump is a big talker nothing more. China, Iran, NK, etc have no reason to believe any of the vitriol that actually comes from Trump.

      The reality is that his actions are either completely back flipped from what was said, or are phased in slowly e.g. the tariffs.

    5. Re:Soft Power by Kjella · · Score: 2

      They rarely threaten or comment without taking action. Their financial situation and power affects every country in the world.

      In fact, they're big enough that non-action is quite effective. After the independent Nobel committee gave Liu Xiaobo the Peace Prize in 2010 they basically put the relationship to us here in Norway in the deep freezer for six years. No political talks, no new trade agreements, creating new business relations was near impossible and existing ones were languishing. Nothing so overt as to cause a formal complaint, we were simply unwanted. We refused to give any sort of apology, they refused to relent. Eventually after 3.5 years we caved to an agreement that pretty much said we'll stop commenting on China's internal affairs:

      The Norwegian Government reiterates its commitment to the one China policy, fully respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, attaches high importance to China's core interests and major concerns, will not support actions that undermine them, and will do its best to avoid any future damage to the bilateral relations.

      After that there's been pretty much total silence on China, refusing to even join the EU in their criticisms. Here and in the US the government changes every so often, if you couldn't make friends with Bush then maybe Obama or Trump. In China if your relationship turns shit it just stays that way. They don't compromise, they don't budge, they just say come back when you're ready to apologize and behave nicely and show you the door. Which is what I suspect Trump will find out if he starts a trade war with China, they won't be coming to the negotiating table. They'll wait it out until the US comes crawling back asking to resume trade.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    6. Re:Soft Power by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      Appearing crazy is a soft power in and of itself.

      If Trump threatens disproportionate retaliation for not letting US companies use Taiwan, China will believe him.

      The whole DPRK and Helsinki debacles have shown the world that all you have to do is make vague assurances not backed by substance and laud Trump with platitudes and tell him how great he is and he will walk away happy and saying how successful he was while you go on doing whatever you were doing. The US has turned into the dog that barks at you from the window but runs away when you walk up to the door.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    7. Re:Soft Power by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      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.

      Our current administration is the only one in decades to even begin to do the slightest thing to challenge their accumulation of soft power.

    8. Re:Soft Power by jwymanm · · Score: 1

      Isn't having a bigger nuke stock pile like having a bigger stick? I'm tired of these China does this right or that right and USA is weak. If people aren't afraid of us they'd be attacking us. So far it's the opposite. The countries talking the loudest are getting attacked/sanctioned from all sides.

    9. Re:Soft Power by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      The reality is that his actions are either completely back flipped from what was said,

      "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your [insurance] plan, you can keep your insurance plan."

    10. Re:Soft Power by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      The whole DPRK and Helsinki debacles have shown the world that all you have to do is make vague assurances not backed by substance and laud Trump with platitudes and tell him how great he is and he will walk away happy and saying how successful he was while you go on doing whatever you were doing.

      You mean the DPRK debacle where the US gave them lots of money to stop doing nuclear weapons and they kept developing nuclear weapons? That debacle? That wasn't Trump.

  8. Local Customs by pubwvj · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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?

    1. Re:Local Customs by blindseer · · Score: 1

      In some countries they require women to wear burkas so American Airlines is planning this for all their female stewardesses and pilots world-wide?

      I do recall hearing something about flights to certain countries requiring that female crew wear at least a headscarf. There were also restrictions on where the crew may go and what they do while in the country. This caused problems for the airlines, of course. I might have to look this up, I recall an airline (from France?) allowing female crew to opt out of flights to these Muslim countries. This is highly unusual as the airlines typically just tell crew which flights they will work.

      --
      I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
    2. Re:Local Customs by hyades1 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think I read the same article you did. I recall the Air France stand on the matter, and thought they did a magnificent job of standing up for civilized conduct in a world where increasingly, drooling fanatics are being allowed to call the shots.

      As far as I'm concerned, if a country wants to cover women in mobile tents, forbid vaccinations and birth control, or engage in any of a dozen other behaviours that essentially spit in the face of science, free speech, individual freedom and other keystones of a free society, its borders should be pretty much sealed, except for legitimate refugees trying to get the hell out.

      And yes, I'm going to ignore the low-hanging fruit about whether some US states would fall under such a ban if it were instituted on less than a country-wide basis.

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    3. Re: Local Customs by Synonymous+Homonym · · Score: 1

      That's why they built a wall, to prevent people from fleeing to a civilised neighbouring country.

    4. Re:Local Customs by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      In some countries they require women to wear burkas so American Airlines is planning this for all their female stewardesses and pilots world-wide?

      Companies abide by the rules set out by the destination country in which they operate and fight them on legal grounds. There are plenty of countries that require women to wear burkas, there are very few (or rather none that I know about or could find in a quick google) that require foreigners to do so in airports.

      There are also plenty of airlines around the world that require their staff to wear appropriate dress at the destination e.g. In the news nowish is Air France fighting with it's union (like it always does) about requiring women to wear headscarves when the destination is Iran.

    5. Re:Local Customs by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      And yes, I'm going to ignore the low-hanging fruit about whether some US states would fall under such a ban if it were instituted on less than a country-wide basis.

      Dearborn, you mean?

    6. Re:Local Customs by Daralantan · · Score: 1

      >In some countries they require women to wear burkas so American Airlines is planning this for all their female stewardesses and pilots world-wide?

      I don't think the women would be allowed to be pilots in those countries either.

    7. Re:Local Customs by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 2

      The country of H33tl4x0ria actually requires women to be nude at all times and perform hand jobs on demand. While we don't have an international airport at this time, it's nice to know that American Airlines will comply with our customs when we do.

  9. Re:Solution by youngone · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What makes you think the US gives a toss about human rights?
    Here's a quick list of human rights abusing dictators the US has installed or supported or both over the last 70 years or so: Franco in Spain
    Suharto in Indonesia
    Hussain in Iraq
    Pahlavi in Iran
    Pinochet in Chile
    various Somozas in Nicaragua
    Ubico & Castillo Armas in Guatemala (among others).
    Marcos in Philippines
    Frankly that's just off the top of my head without thinking about it too much.
    If you think manufacturing is coming back to the US you don't understand how multinational corporations work.
    But based on you wanting to nuke China I am pretty sure you don't understand much.

  10. Crystal ball by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 1, Insightful

    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?

    1. Re:Crystal ball by GerryGilmore · · Score: 2

      If you think for one second that Trump would go to war with China over Taiwan, you're delusional.
      First, he doesn't even know the difference between the two. Second, he'll follow the money, which is China.

    2. Re:Crystal ball by penandpaper · · Score: 1

      It depends on how it starts and I think many Americans would be sympathetic to Taiwan considering they are a functional democracy and a large trade partner to the US.

      It seems that Trump is being delicate in how he aligns with Taiwan but moving in a good direction in a delicate way.

      Personally, I hope he and any US president supports Taiwan and their independence.

    3. Re:Crystal ball by blindseer · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If you think for one second that Trump would go to war with China over Taiwan, you're delusional.

      A war with China? That should be a fun half hour.

      First, he doesn't even know the difference between the two.

      Trump owns his own airplane, which he's flown all over the world. You want to pretend that Trump doesn't know where these countries are? I'll admit that he's not the most educated man but I'm guessing he knows where these places are and how they do business.

      Second, he'll follow the money, which is China.

      I read about what he did to get Otto Warmbier home. When Trump heard about Warmbier being ill he basically called up North Korea and told them that he was sending a plane to come pick him up. There was no negotiation, there was a demand. North Korea folded, granted a pardon to Warmbier and allowed the plane to leave with him on board. That's not "following the money". It's also far more than Obama tried to do.

      I have no idea what Trump might do. I'm guessing that he'd like to flatten some of these nations that have caused trouble for the USA for so long, but if it isn't his better judgement stopping him then it's his advisors.

      If Trump was just following the money then he wouldn't be in a trade war with China right now. I'm not all that pleased that POTUS has such authority to effectively dictate the price of steel but that's an authority granted to Congress in the Constitution and Congress delegated some of this authority to POTUS. I'd like to see Congress get in the business of... well, doing their damned job.

      That brings up another authority Congress delegated to POTUS, the ability to effectively enact a war without first getting permission from Congress. That was real funny hearing Congress making a bunch of noise on POTUS after POTUS waging war all over the world. At the same time Congress approved the budget to wage war, and did nothing to dial back the delegated authority of POTUS to continue waging war.

      I've noticed that much of the world stopped laughing at the USA now that Trump is in the Oval Office. That's probably because they realize that Trump just might be crazy enough to wage a war on China.

      --
      I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
    4. Re:Crystal ball by serviscope_minor · · Score: 4, Informative

      I've noticed that much of the world stopped laughing at the USA now that Trump is in the Oval Office.

      Um, I think the noticing lobe in your brain mighthave stopped working.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    5. Re: Crystal ball by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      One of the first foreign leaders Trump met with was the president of Taiwan. You have TDS.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    6. Re:Crystal ball by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      he pushed back against terrorism by defeating ISIS

      What did Trump do to defeat ISIS?

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    7. Re:Crystal ball by blindseer · · Score: 1

      Seriously? He has pilots to fly the plane.

      Of course he has pilots fly his plane.

      --
      I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
    8. Re: Crystal ball by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      TDS is when you lose all touch with reality because you are too emotionally involved with Trump. Sad. It affects both parties.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    9. Re:Crystal ball by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      If you think for one second that Trump would go to war with China over Taiwan, you're delusional.

      A war with China? That should be a fun half hour.

      If you think for one second that PRC would go to war with anyone over ROC you're delusional. They don't have to.

      You want to pretend that Trump doesn't know where these countries are?

      No, he wants to spread fear and hatred for the politician he didn't vote for. It is the politically correct thing for all erudite people to do these days.

    10. Re:Crystal ball by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      I've noticed that much of the world stopped laughing at the USA now that Trump is in the Oval Office.

      I never noticed the world laughing at the US... at least not since WWII. And I only used that as a dividing line cause I stopped wanting to think about history. You would probably go back to the Civil War to find people laughing at the US.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    11. Re:Crystal ball by Heir+Of+The+Mess · · Score: 1

      Trump definitely knows the difference between China and Taiwan. You should do some research on the history of Trump and Taiwan. In Taiwan, it is illegal for foreigners to own any property except for their primary residence. 15 years ago Taiwan had a corrupt president who struck a deal with Trump that allowed Trump to buy up a whole lot of land in the capital, Taipei, and build some luxury high rise apartment blocks. This was a very lucrative deal for Trump. Trumps attempts to do anything like this in China have been stomped on with high prejudice.

      --
      Australian running a company that does C# / C++ / Java / SQL / Python / Mathematica
    12. Re:Crystal ball by piers_downunder · · Score: 1

      I've noticed that much of the world stopped laughing at the USA now that Trump is in the Oval Office.

      Actually we stopped laughing when you booted out George W and elected Obama, who seemed to be able to speak intelligently on various topics without a teleprompter. When you elected Trump we collectively laughed our arses off, and it's been uninterrupted hilarity since. His buffoonery, corruption and general incompetence has encapsulated the worst stereotypes of the American people, and made many of us sigh with relief that his rise to supreme executive power could only happen in the US.

    13. Re:Crystal ball by drsquare · · Score: 1

      Half an hour to beat China, but you couldn't beat Vietnam in ten years and still haven't beaten Afghanistan. What is it like being a Trump cultist? I've never been in a religion or personality cult, I've no idea what it feels like. It must be so weird being that out of touch with reality.

  11. Two points... by hyades1 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    First of all, this is yet another example of supposed "Free World" corporations knuckling under to a totalitarian dictatorship because it's profitable to do so.

    Perhaps less obvious is that in order to stay airworthy, the planes those airlines fly depend on cheap Chinese-made parts, and cut-rate labour in places like Singapore and Indonesia. Does anybody here believe an airline that stood up to China would continue to enjoy access to those lovely, cheap replacement parts? Would maintenance hubs like Singapore even pretend to stand up to China if they said Carrier X or Y was on its "shit list"?

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    1. Re:Two points... by gravewax · · Score: 1

      This is precisely why we should get rid of for profit enterprises and run every business democratically.

      They have a name for that, it is called communism

    2. Re:Two points... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That is because Tibet can be easily conquered without bombing :D

    3. Re:Two points... by hyades1 · · Score: 1

      So when it comes to having a chance to live in a total surveillance society where privacy is a quaint memory and the truth is whatever government-controlled media tells you it is...I guess we can put you down for an enthusiastic, "Yes!"

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    4. Re:Two points... by CaffeinatedBacon · · Score: 1

      If you gave them the choice between changing the name on a website or increasing the prices of all goods in the country, they will choose the website change.
      If they aren't even willing to "buy American" now and pay higher prices, what makes you think they will pay higher prices to support Taiwan?
      Why would Americans support Taiwan, when they can barely even stand up and support their fellow Americans?

    5. Re:Two points... by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      Perhaps less obvious is that in order to stay airworthy, the planes those airlines fly depend on cheap Chinese-made parts, and cut-rate labour in places like Singapore and Indonesia.

      It is less obvious because it is not true. While the labor may be cheaper in Singapore or Indonesia, the "cheap Chinese-made parts" won't allow any US flag or operated airline to keep its aircraft "airworthy". Counterfeit parts are a problem, and a reason to ground a fleet if they are found in significant numbers. If a fatal crash occurs and the NTSB finds a "cheap Chinese-made part" was the cause, the airline will be facing huge lawsuits from the heirs.

      Also, Singapore and Indonesia, if they are providing lower cost labor, will not stop doing so just because an airline lists "Taipai, Taiwan" as a destination. They need the money.

  12. Whoosh... by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 1

    If you think for one second that Trump would go to war with China over Taiwan, you're delusional.
    First, he doesn't even know the difference between the two. Second, he'll follow the money, which is China.

    Whoosh...

  13. Non-whoosh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    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.

  14. Geolocation? by sonamchauhan · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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'

    1. Re:Geolocation? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      How come airlines are so hesitant to use geolocation to identify the jurisdiction of whom they are serving.

      You're making two huge assumptions there.
      1) Airlines already geoblock quite extensively providing different prices depending on your source.
      2) China is not interested in what its citizens see, it's interested in what the world sees. Geoblocking doesn't resolve this.

  15. China is like, evil here? by TiggertheMad · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is probably where the saying, "All evil needs to triumph, is for good men to do nothing" is appropriate.

    If the west doesn't draw a line in the sand and come down hard on Xi's ambitions, then I think you are 100% correct. And at the risk of turning this into yet another culture war thread between the left and right, I don't think that our current leader is capable of credibly resisting the Chinese government in any sort of meaningful fashion short of just emptying all the silos and hoping for the best. This is a situation that requires tact, wisdom, patience, and collaboration with allies.

    Taiwan is fucked.

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
  16. White House couldn't do anything... by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 2
    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:White House couldn't do anything... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Emperor for life, control of the media, every utterance considered infallible... Trump must admire Xi bigly.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    2. Re:White House couldn't do anything... by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      It's not Trump it's a general policy of many countries.
      Most of Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe do not recognise Taiwan (Republic of China) as a separate country at all.
      Most of the west recognise that Taiwan exists informally but support a One China solution formally recognising only the People's Republic of China and having either no diplomatic relationship with the ROC or sharing the diplomatic relationship only with the PRC.

      Given most of the world takes one stance on this, I'm surprised Trump isn't off shaking hands and kissing Taiwanese babies.

  17. Exactly. by Synonymous+Homonym · · Score: 1

    If Washington made a law to require American companies to refer to Taiwan as the Republic of China, while China just refuses to do business with anyone who does so, all American companies will become Chinese companies.

    1. Re: Exactly. by GrahamJ · · Score: 1

      You mean anyone who *doesn't* do so, but sure. My point is that China is requiring this of all airlines regardless of nationality so why the focus on the US? Omitting Taiwan's response is typical US myopia.

    2. Re: Exactly. by GrahamJ · · Score: 1

      Sorry I thought you meant does so as in does make such a law. My bad.

  18. Orwellian Nonsense? by fafalone · · Score: 1

    This, from the administration that has labeled the free press the "enemy of the people"? That used the phrase "alternative facts" to push an obvious lie, a tactic they continue to whip out all the time? Who insist on blind loyalty to the Party and the Party Leader, attacking any dissent in their own ranks? Though I guess we shouldn't be surprised, as blatant, shameless hypocrisy is part of the deal.

  19. Can't two play at this game? by Solandri · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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.

    1. Re:Can't two play at this game? by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      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?

      No, because they're free nations. China can only do this because it is not.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  20. Czechoslovakia is part of Greater Germany... by nagora · · Score: 2

    ...and the National Socialist government will punish any airline that says otherwise.

    Stop buying from, going to, or meeting with China. Isolate them, cut them off, destroy their government; save a billion people from oppression.

    --
    "Encyclopedia" is to "Wikipedia" what "Library" is to "Some people at a bus stop"
  21. Abide by the rules ... of other countries? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    It's a given that you have to abide by the rules of countries you want to make business with. But abiding by rules of countries other than the one you want to land in?

    So, technically, if Trump throws another hissy fit and wants you to call Mexico "Spicistan" from now on in your destinations, you'll comply?

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:Abide by the rules ... of other countries? by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      It's a given that you have to abide by the rules of countries you want to make business with. But abiding by rules of countries other than the one you want to land in?

      If you don't think that American Airlines, and US airlines in general, don't want to land in PRC you are woefully ignorant of the global aviation marketplace.

    2. Re:Abide by the rules ... of other countries? by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      The American Airlines want to land in Taiwan. And China is making rules about that. That is the point.

      Wrong. PRC is making laws regarding how airlines REFER TO airports in Taiwan. They are making no rules regarding landing in Taiwan. Airlines are complying because they want to retain landing rights IN PRC.

      This has nothing to do with landing in ROC.

    3. Re:Abide by the rules ... of other countries? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      This is exactly what I posted. If (China|the US) want them to refer to (Taiwan|Mexico) as (“Taipei, Taipei”|Spicistan), will they simply bend over and comply?

      They can still land in Mexico. All they have to do is call it Spicistan if they also want to land in the US.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  22. Re: Solution by gravewax · · Score: 1

    I think the incorrect part is the list is much too short by focusing on only the dictators as it leaves out a lot of even worse abuses like Cuba and Rwanda

  23. The US Response by SemperOSS · · Score: 1

    And the US response should be that they will impose some unspecified sanctions on all airlines that do not refer to Taiwan for flights to that country and see what response they get. It is interesting to see how we accept behaviour from China that would cause an outrage if we tried to behave in a similar way.

    A thing I learnt many years ago in the school playground was never to give in to the bullies, which cost me quite a few bruises and indignities then but made me so much stronger today.

    --
    I don't need a signature to draw attention to myself.
    1. Re:The US Response by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      And the US response should be that they will impose some unspecified sanctions on all airlines that do not refer to Taiwan for flights to that country and see what response they get.

      So the proper response to an edict from a totalitarian government overreaching its span of control is to become totalitarian and overreach our span of control, too?

      It is interesting to see how we accept behaviour from China

      I think it is AA that has the prayer about changing what you can, accepting what you can't change, and the ability to know the difference.

    2. Re:The US Response by SemperOSS · · Score: 1

      And the US response should be that they will impose some unspecified sanctions on all airlines that do not refer to Taiwan for flights to that country and see what response they get.

      So the proper response to an edict from a totalitarian government overreaching its span of control is to become totalitarian and overreach our span of control, too?

      It is interesting to see how we accept behaviour from China

      I think it is AA that has the prayer about changing what you can, accepting what you can't change, and the ability to know the difference.

      Interesting how the same words can be understood differently depending on the eyes that see them. I thought my first sentence (US doing a similar thing and see the reaction) was put into context by the second sentence (the Western outrage it would cause) to indicate that it probably would not go down well and thus not really would be a possibility. That can teach me (again) to be more precise -- no irony meant here.

      --
      I don't need a signature to draw attention to myself.
  24. Prime Directive by Dr.+Tom · · Score: 1

    > An American Airlines spokeswoman said in a statement: "Air travel is global business, and we abide by the rules in countries where we operate."

    The Federation has always hidden behind the non-interference Prime Directive. While they wash their hands of it they hide behind some noble purpose --- However the Prime Directive was established to protect indigenous native cultures, not level 5 civilisations. It shouldn't apply here.

  25. Re:Solution by Mathinker · · Score: 1

    Possibly. But I'd bet that more of their survivors will know what to do when there is no electricity, food delivery, etc.

    OTOH, the lack of a government telling them what to do might be much more traumatic to them compared to us.

    I'd prefer not to find out via experience, either way.

  26. Re:Solution by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    But I'd bet that more of their survivors will know what to do when there is no electricity, food delivery, etc.

    Who needs shit like that when you've got guns and a bible?

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  27. Why is this difficult? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

    Add $500 billion in tarriffs if China retaliates against US airlines, combined with tit-for-tat x10 to Chinese airline dealings in the US.

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  28. Re:Solution by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    What makes you think the US gives a toss about human rights?

    Are you saying all that "endowed by their creator" stuff isn't real?

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  29. Orwellian nonsense? Tell CNN by ripvlan · · Score: 1

    News was not reported on this because the White house Blocked CNN from attending the new conference, all because the White house doesn't like CNN.

    Orwellian nonsense?! Pot... Kettle?!

  30. Re:Solution by youngone · · Score: 1

    I'm saying that if you do some research about the awful list I posted above, you might wonder who the good guys really are.
    United Fruit (as just one example) made Guatemala an absolute hellhole for the locals for most of the 20th century. With the help of the US Marines.

  31. Taiwan opinion? by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    Taiwan government position has always been that there is only one China,and that they are the legitimate government. PRC has the same exact opposite position.

    Hence Taiwan should side with Beijing here. What is their opinion?

  32. Re:Solution by gravewax · · Score: 1

    Probably, either way the only certainty is the US and China will no longer exist as major powers in the world. perhaps the win is for other countries? but I doubt the fallout could just be restricted to within those two countries borders.