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What a drop-down website menu says about China's increasing power
Airlines across the world are changing their sites to appease China
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This article originally appeared on ABACUS
It’s such a common sight on the web you might not think twice about the little drop-down menu that allows you to select a country. But this small element is at the heart of a dispute between China and the West -- leaving some major companies caught in the crossfire.
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American Airlines has become the latest airline to change how its website refers to Taiwan -- a move that other airlines are expected to follow before a final deadline imposed by Beijing of July 25.
It's in response to demands from China's Civil Aviation Authority, which contacted foreign airlines to say they should refer to the self-ruled, democratic island as Chinese territory. (They were also told to ensure that Hong Kong and Macau were listed as part of China.)
Until last month, Delta and American were among the few airlines to resist the demand, and continue calling Taiwan a country.
In recent months, a host of others have made the change, including Qantas, Japan Airlines, Air France, Air Canada, British Airways and Lufthansa.
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