Qantas bends to Beijing by describing Taiwan as Chinese

SYDNEY, Australia – Australia’s foreign minister has expressed concern about Qantas Airways’ decision to describe Taiwan as a Chinese territory amid pressure from Beijing.

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said on Monday that Australia’s flag carrier airline was in the process of changing its website after China’s aviation regulator issued a May 25 deadline for more than 40 airlines to make the change.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Tuesday reiterated her concerns about Beijing’s request for airlines to no longer refer to Taiwan as an independent country but noted that Qantas was free to make its own corporate decisions.

Bishop says in a statement: “Private companies should be free to conduct their usual business operations free from political pressure of governments.”