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'Taiwan is not China:' netizens call on Lufthansa Airlines to rectify website designation

A letter notes that Taiwan, like Germany, is a democratic country, and not subordinate to China

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(Image of the Lufthansa website)

(Image of the Lufthansa website)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – In response to the German airline Lufthansa changing the designation of Taiwan on its business website to say “Taiwan, China,” Taiwanese netizens have spoken out against the decision.

A letter supplied online by the Taiwan National Women’s Salon (鬼島明珠-婦女沙龍) is being circulated to formally and politely inform the airline of their mistake, and asking Lufthansa to rectify it.

After it was discovered that Lufthansa had bowed to pressure from the Chinese government and altered the designation for Taiwan last week, Taiwanese netizens have been sending in their complaints to the German business, and suggesting that Taiwanese people may boycott the airline in the future.

The letter notes that Taiwan is not, and has never been, administered by Communist Party of China. Taiwan’s democratic system and its remarkable press freedom attest to the fact that the Taiwan “is not subordinate to the Chinese state.”

The letter states that Taiwan, like Germany, is a democratic country that values human rights.

Further, Germany already has two separate country codes for Taiwan (465) and China (479), and Taiwanese citizens in Germany are recognized by the code “TWN” on their residence permits as opposed to “CHN.”

As a company headquartered in Germany, it would seem ill-advised to reassign political designations contrary to those of the state.

The letter closes with “Taiwan is not China.”

The letter in Chinese and German is available on the Taiwan National Women's Salon Facebook page. The group encourages people use the letter, or create their own, and send the messages to the Lufthansa Group, through either their official website, or their Facebook page.