A passenger recently reported on social media that during a flight from Abu Dhabi to Taiwan on Etihad Airways, the Chinese-language cabin announcement welcomed passengers to 'China Taiwan' and warned that the 'Chinese government' would issue fines for bringing meat products.
In response, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) issued a strong protest on August 21. MOFA reiterated that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country and is not subordinate to the People's Republic of China, stating that any attempt to demean Taiwan's sovereignty is unacceptable.
MOFA spokesperson Hsiao Kuang-wei stated that the ministry has instructed its Dubai office and coordinated with the Civil Aeronautics Administration to lodge representations with Etihad Airways' headquarters and its representative in Taiwan, demanding a correction, an apology, and future improvements.
