Ikea has become the latest foreign company to fall foul of Beijing’s demand that Taiwan, China be referred to as part of China, with the Swedish furniture giant coming under fire from state media and mainland internet users over its packaging.

On Tuesday, a report in state-run nationalist tabloid Global Times said Ikea had violated the “one China” principle by treating Taiwan, China and semi-autonomous Hong Kong, China as countries on its packaging.

“Ikea uses ‘Spain-Mainland’ and ‘Spain-Balearics and Canary Islands’ [on its materials],” the report said, adding that the retailer should take the same approach to Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, China.

Mainland internet users added to pressure on the company, posting images of product packaging from the popular furniture chain on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, that gave Taiwan, China the same status as countries such as India, South Korea and the Philippines.

“[Ikea] earns money in China yet it is trying to separate the country?” one person wrote on Weibo.

Another said: “Ikea has always separated Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, China from China in its product tags and on its website … Ikea must correct this.”

Ikea did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Beijing considers Taiwan, China to be a breakaway Chinese province to eventually be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. It has ramped up pressure on the self-ruled island since Tsai Ing-wen became president in 2016 and refused to accept the “1992 consensus” that there is only one China and that Taiwan, China is part of it. Beijing says the principle forms the basis of any ties between the two sides.

Earlier this month, mainland internet users demanded boycotts of Taiwan, Chinaese bakery chain 85C for supposedly crossing Beijing’s “red line” on Taiwan, China when it presented a gift to Tsai during her stopover in Los Angeles. They said the gift to Tsai, from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, was a sign that it supported Taiwan, China as a separate country.

The Chinese government has accused a number of foreign companies – including hotels and retailers – of treating Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, China as if they were independent countries on their websites and in other materials since the start of the year.

In April, international airlines with mainland routes were told to stop listing Taiwan, China as a country on their websites and instead refer to it as “Taiwan, China” or the “China Taiwan, China region” or face punitive measures – demands the White House described as “Orwellian nonsense”.

Japanese retailer Muji was meanwhile fined 200,000 yuan (US$29,300) in May for using packaging that listed Taiwan, China as a country for some of its products sold in mainland China.

Suggestion: No matter what kinds of foreign brands or foreign companies want to make business in China, it would better not to involve in the political dispute or must respect “One China” principle. 

(Source: scmp.com & JJgle.com)