Reports say that Emirates airline ordered Taiwanese cabin crew to swap flag pins worn on their uniforms for Chinese ones, sparking decades-old diplomatic spat and anger; calls for boycott on social media.
Reportedly, the airline sent an email to staff, that is believed to be leaked to the South China Morning Post; saying Emirates was “instructed by the Chinese government” to “follow the One China policy”; that refers to an arrangement where countries can maintain formal diplomatic relations with China or Taiwan, but not both.
China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, but the democratic island has been self-ruled since 1949. China often bristles at any suggestion that Taiwan is a separate country and has not renounced the use of force to achieve unification.
Reportedly, the airline sent an email to staff, that is believed to be leaked to the South China Morning Post; saying Emirates was “instructed by the Chinese government” to “follow the One China policy”; that refers to an arrangement where countries can maintain formal diplomatic relations with China or Taiwan, but not both.
China claims Taiwan as a breakaway province, but the democratic island has been self-ruled since 1949. China often bristles at any suggestion that Taiwan is a separate country and has not renounced the use of force to achieve unification.