U.S. lawmakers urge hotels to stop using term 'Taiwan, China'

Washington, May 21 (CNA) Two Republican members of the United States Congress sent a letter Wednesday to the CEOs of three major hotel chains, expressing concern about the hotels' use of the term "Taiwan, China" on their websites and in promotional materials.

John Moolenaar, who heads the House Select Committee on China, and Senator Marsha Blackburn addressed the letter to executives of the Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt hotel chains.

The term "Taiwan, China" may be interpreted as "implicitly recognizing Taiwan as part of the People's Republic of China (PRC)," which "stands in stark contrast" to the position of the U.S. government, the two members of Congress wrote in the letter.

The term lends "false credence to the PRC's position of authority and sovereignty over Taiwan," and is "detrimental" to Taiwan, "a thriving democracy and one of America's top trading partners," they said.

The U.S. government "maintains robust ties with Taiwan and actively supports Taiwan's participation on the international stage" through the Taiwan Relations Act, the lawmakers said.

They noted that in October 2024, the U.S. State Department, along with the departments of Agriculture and Commerce, sent a letter to the CEOs and leaders of major Fortune 500 companies, urging them to refer to Taiwan as "Taiwan."

"Other major U.S. companies with an international presence correctly identify Taiwan as an entity separate from that of China, and we urge your companies to follow suit," Moolenaar and Blackburn wrote in their letter to the three hotel chains on Wednesday.

They also asked the hotels to provide information on when they began referring to Taiwan as "Taiwan, China" and whether that decision was influenced by China or related entities.