DragonSoul

Did China get Traditional Chinese characters banned from being used by the UN? I know it tried about a dozen years ago, in an obvious political move to marginalise Taiwan.

Checked AC's website and the Chinese version offers simplified Chinese (doesn't mention traditional) and English, while the Taiwan one offers Traditional Chinese (mentions traditional) and English -and also shows the Taiwanese flag (guess that will be targeted next). Very strangely the Hong Kong site only has English.

Anyway... China is on a global lookout for anything Taiwan-related and is ready to push its agenda on the island.

tcook052

Please note that a number of posts have been edited or deleted for off topic political commentary unrelated to the thread topic so if this thread is to remain open please refrain from widening the political discourse.

tcook052
AC forum Mod.

Stranger

While that might have been a factor, I suspect the major one is more related to domestic political issues in Taiwan. I would be very surprised if such a change would ever have been a consideration. Would have been very controversial. For the longest time, people in Taiwan would often pick their favorite airline based upon political consideration. Some still do even if the BR management seemed to have (at the very least) mellowed.

DrunkCargo

Maybe it's time to revisit this, if it is true AC does not represent Canada's stance on the matter:

• R.S., 1985, c. 35 (4th Supp.), s. 9;
• 1994, c. 24, s. 34(F).

And, another one says the same thing:
Easy fix: stop flying to TPE and this statement becomes true. Or, acknowledge that AC does not recognize Taiwan is a jurisdiction, which may be exactly what AC is saying to appease CA. Personally I side with CN on this, but note that some form of war might be necessary to effect compliance from Taiwan, a totally different set of laws... Not convinced AC should be wading in these waters while still carrying "Canada" in it's name.

beep88

This was done because PRC denied entry visa to those with passports having COUNTRY of birth being "HKG", "TWN", 'MAC'.

bocastephen

More weak-knee'd nonsense from Canada. The US airlines already gave China the middle finger on this issue, so did the US govt who stood behind any vendor who refused to acknowledge this nonsense, and prior changes by Delta and Marriott were reversed to properly recognize Taiwanese sovereignty. Taiwan is Taiwan, China is China.

truncated

There's always Air Canada rouge

karachi

this isnt an ideological issue. its an ROI one. same reason why lots of Canadian businesses are careful with Cuba or observe the secondary American embargo there. the US airlines who presumably are showing China the middle finger are likely not as brave when it comes to Cuba (or as I mentioned, are acting on commercial interest, not ideology).

bocastephen

US airlines have been serving Cuba for quite some time now, and a lot of Canadian businesses have done business in Cuba for years without regard to the old embargo. Air Canada has been flying vacation trips to Cuba for years without any impact to its US business, even when the embargo was in full swing.

Remember China needs Canada more than the other way around - Canada can sell its oil and resources to other customers, China cannot grow enough food to feed its population and Canada can easily cut off food exports to China and sell them elsewhere, just like the USA will do assuming the trade war really gets going. You can never be secure relying on one customer - this is one of the most basic rules of business, but has been violated for decades by countless companies and governments who thought they could enrich themselves through investment in China, but instead the opposite happened. This is as good a time as any to cut the cord and move on.

Air Canada is being decimated on social media over this decision, and almost none of the comments are in favor of the change, but almost universally deriding it.

ffsim

I think decimated is a strong word. The comments are definitely largely negative, but a quick perusal of AC's Twitter and Facebook profiles shows the usual complaints about lost luggage, delayed flights and surly service mixed in among the geopolitical lessons.

DrunkCargo

If this is true, then I'd like to know what Air Canada (the private corporation) paid for the privilege to use "Canada" in its name?

I'm going to argue for revocation of this privilege if ideologies are not part of Air Canada's behaviour.

Stranger

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opin...gerous-signal/

DrunkCargo

Really?

bocastephen

Which part is troubling? Feeling ashamed by the decision (I certainly do), or labeling Air Canada a company we can be proud of? Surely Air Canada can do better than this - but that would involve so many different improvements, we'd need an entire online forum dedicated to debating them

The decision is shameful, given this is something they never needed to do especially after being given easy ground cover by United, Delta, American and a few other global carriers....I don't think China would have even remembered Air Canada exists or noticed if they did or didn't change Taiwan's designation on the website.

DrunkCargo

The pride part. This seems like something that should be tested more thoroughly via democratic process?