New Zealand kiwifruit marketer, Zespri, have quickly made changes to their listings of Hong Kong and Taiwan as separate countries on the website’s main page.
Following the advice of the New Zealand Trade Enterprise (NZTE) the company reviewed its ‘select your location’ portion of the website and amended options, listing Hong Kong and Taiwan as regions.
This follows incidents in January with hotel chain Marriott International and international airline Qantas landing in hot water for naming Hong Kong and Taiwan as separate countries; an act considered a serious violation of China’s ownership.
Stuff reported that in January China’s internet watchdog said hotel chain Marriott had “seriously violated national laws and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people” by naming the regions as separate countries.
Following the Qantas incident, the Civil Aviation Authority of China has since ordered all foreign airlines to check the listings of their operating routes and amend them correctly.
The NZTE has also warned that incorrect language could lead to political and business risks for companies, and recommended the review of wording for all globally operating businesses.
Zespri did not respond to questions from Stuff about potential political or business implications for the company.
