MONTREAL- Air Canada (AC) continues to list Taiwan as part of China across its booking platforms, a practice Taiwan’s ambassador to Canada describes as a form of Beijing’s economic coercion against global companies.
The carrier traces the labeling to a 2018 directive from Beijing, and the issue resurfaced after screenshots circulated on social media showing the airline’s Chinese-language portal placing Taipei and Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport under 中國 (China) rather than 台灣 (Taiwan).
The dispute aligns with Beijing’s “One China” policy, which rejects Taiwan’s claims of sovereignty and treats the island as a renegade province and an inseparable part of China.
Air Canada operates no direct service to Taiwan and instead sells connections through partner airlines, yet its website and mobile app still mark Taiwanese cities such as Taipei (TPE) and Kaohsiung (KHH) as Chinese, drawing criticism from Taipei’s envoy in Ottawa (YOW).
Why Air Canada Labels Taiwan Airports Under China
Air Canada does not fly directly to Taiwan, but customers can still book travel there using the carrier’s partner network through its website and smartphone app.
When users search those airports, the booking portal returns Taiwan as a region of “China.”
The same result appears on Air Canada’s regionalized, Chinese-language site built for Taiwan. That version lists Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport under 中國 (China) instead of 台灣 (Taiwan).
The pattern extends to Taiwan’s other international gateways in Taipei and Kaohsiung, applying the label consistently across the platform.
Beijing’s “One China” Policy
The labeling reflects Beijing’s long-standing position on Taiwan. Under the “One China” policy, China rejects Taiwan’s standing as a sovereign nation, characterizes the island as a renegade state, and treats it as a permanent part of Chinese territory.
That stance shapes the conditions Beijing places on foreign carriers. Airlines that want access to Chinese airports are pressed to drop any reference to Taiwan as an independent country, which is why the designation appears across Air Canada’s platforms.
Airline Points to 2018 Beijing Requirement
An Air Canada spokesperson confirmed the labeling reflects a business condition set by the Chinese government rather than the airline’s own position.
The statement noted that Air Canada does not fly to Taiwan and serves the market through partners.
According to the Toronto Sun, the spokesperson explained that in 2018, the Government of the People’s Republic of China notified airlines worldwide that they had to follow its requirement on how Taiwan is designated in order to keep doing business in China.
The statement added that most carriers operating in the region complied.
That directive came from China’s Civil Aviation Administration, which sent letters to 36 airlines around the world in 2018 demanding the removal of references describing Taiwan as a sovereign nation.
Canada and US Response
The reactions from Western governments diverged. The White House at the time rejected Beijing’s demands as “Orwellian nonsense” and accused the government of pushing its political agenda onto American companies.
The Canadian government, under then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, declined to take a firm stand.
Speaking in the House of Commons in 2018, former Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canadian companies should be able to run their websites without political interference, while also stating that private companies remain responsible for the content they publish.
Canada’s Aviation Reset With China
Air links between Canada and China have long carried diplomatic weight. Following a period of frozen relations and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent trade mission to Beijing, Canada announced a new agreement to expand passenger and cargo routes with China.
The deal remains a tightly controlled expansion rather than an open skies arrangement. Western carriers continue to face a major disadvantage because they are barred from Russian airspace, while Chinese airlines retain access to the shorter and cheaper Siberian routes, giving them a structural edge on these long-haul markets.
Taiwan Calls It Economic Coercion
Harry Tseng, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to Canada, framed the labeling as another instance of Beijing pressuring the world to fall in line.
He described the practice as a form of economic coercion that forces companies to comply or risk losing access to the Chinese market.
Tseng argued that pressure of this kind tends to harden opposition rather than reduce it. He stated that regardless of who Beijing tries to intimidate, Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other.
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