Snickers apologizes for heavily criticized ad about Taiwan

Even sweets cannot escape the tense relations between Taiwan and China. Mars Wrigley, manufacturer of the chocolate bar Snickers, apologized Friday for a much-criticized ad designating the de facto independent Taiwan as a country. Taiwan is not a country at all, but a renegade Chinese province, grumbled thousands of Chinese social media users, reiterating the position of the Chinese government.

It’s all about a promotional campaign of a limited edition chocolate bar. The manufacturer stated on its website this week that it is only available in the countries of South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan. The suggestion that Taiwan is also a country has been repulsed by many Chinese. A post on Weibo, a highly censored Chinese social media platform, stating that Taiwan is “an inseparable part of China’s territory” received more than 8,000 likes.

The candy manufacturer then felt compelled to show color. Mars Wrigley “respects the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of China,” the US company wrote on Weibo, and “runs its business in strict compliance with local Chinese laws and regulations.” However, the statement proved insufficient to calm the social media storm. After all, the candy manufacturer did not recognize that Taiwan is part of China, according to critics.

The outrage about the ad comes at a spicy moment. Tensions between China and Taiwan have flared up again this week after Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, visited the island. China reacted furiously and conducted a series of military exercises around Taiwan.

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