© Reuters
US candy maker Mars Wrigley has apologized and said it respects “Chinese sovereignty” after a Snickers video announced that it depicted Taiwan as a country.
mtmsource: BELGA
A promotional video for a limited edition Snickers event concludes with “Available only in the following countries,” followed by the flags of South Korea, Malaysia, and… Taiwan. The video, which also features South Korean pop group BTS, was not intended for the Chinese market, but was noticed by Chinese netizens, causing panic.
“We are aware of reports of a Snickers event taking place in parts of Asia,” Mars Wrigley said in a statement Friday night. “We take this very seriously and offer our sincerest apologies. We respect China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Snickers China also posted an additional message on social network Weibo afterwards. “There is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory.”
The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Taipei after prominent US politician Nancy Pelosi visited the island. China responded by announcing military exercises near Taiwan. The Chinese regime believes that the island of 23 million people is a breakaway Chinese province and should be reunited with the rest of the country. Therefore, Beijing opposes any international recognition of Taiwan.
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