White House: China push on Taiwan is ‘Orwellian nonsense’

CLEVELAND – The White House on Saturday condemned China’s efforts to control how U.S. airlines refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, saying the push to make them comply with Chinese standards is “Orwellian nonsense.”

Press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump “ran against political correctness in the United States” and as president he will “stand up for Americans resisting efforts by the Chinese Communist Party to impose Chinese political correctness on American companies and citizens.”

China’s Civil Aviation Administration has demanded the change from 36 foreign carriers, including some American carriers, according to the White House.

“This is Orwellian nonsense and part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies,” Sanders said. She said the Trump administration is calling on China “to stop threatening and coercing American carriers and citizens.”

The harshly worded statement came as a high-level trade delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin returned from negotiations in China and as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with a member of the Chinese Communist Party leadership.

In their telephone conversation on Saturday, Pompeo and Politburo member Yang Jiechi “affirmed the importance of a constructive, results-oriented bilateral relationship,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.