A Chinese state-run newspaper published the names of a number of foreign airlines that consider Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau to be sovereign territories, including United Airlines, Qantas and Air Canada. This marks the latest development in China’s campaign against foreign companies and individuals that have refused to comply with China’s efforts to delegitimize sovereignty for these territories.

Latest: Taiwan's Foreign Ministry have slammed @AirCanada’s decision to list #Taiwan under ‘China’ on its flight booking page.

• Taiwan is accusing the airline of buckling under pressure

• BA, Lufthansa & other airlines have also been caught up in the same dispute.

— Alex Macheras (@AlexInAir) May 16, 2018

The South China Morning Post reported that Chinese nationalist tabloid Global Times spread the names of these airlines through the Chinese social media platform, WeChat. It was reported that over 50,000 users saw this post.

These media tactics are fueled by persistent Chinese nationalism. Liu Kang, a professor of Chinese cultural studies at Duke University stated, “The current Chinese communist government is more a product of nationalism than a product of ideology like Marxism and Communism.”

Aviation experts, as a result, are concerned that a Chinese consumer boycott of these airlines may follow. Reports show that both Emirates and Qantas have determined it is best to re-evaluate their recognition of Chinese territories as sovereign. Due to the potential economic repercussions of losing Chinese business, airlines are beginning to cooperate with a foreign government’s agenda.

While Washington dismissed these attacks on airlines as “Orwellian nonsense,” the airlines themselves have taken China’s media campaign seriously by publicly stating their intent to review these policies.

Yet another example of #China trying to bully American companies. These guys play hard ball. Do not feel bad for #ZTE or any Chinese company going out of business. They have put plenty of American companies out of business by stealing from them. https://t.co/H2MBisb5pT

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 23, 2018

This is not the first time Chinese media outlets have been used to increase pressure on foreign corporations. Earlier this month, images of a Gap sweatshirt with a map of China that omitted Tibet and Taiwan circulated the social media site Weibo. Gap immediately apologized, fearing a marketing disaster in China if it did not include these territories in the Chinese map.

China’s strong grasp on the world economy has been strengthened through the media channels through which it spreads propaganda aimed at nationalists to the point where it threatens foreign businesses with organized boycotts. Its tactics have even affected individual employees that have no connections with China.

In March, Marriott fired an employee after he liked a tweet by a Tibetan separatist group praising the company. Marriott also issued an apology, and stated that it does not support the sovereignty of Tibet.

Marriott International respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. We don’t support separatist groups that subvert the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. We sincerely apologize for any actions that may have suggested otherwise.

— Marriott Rewards (@MarriottRewards) January 11, 2018

The airline call-out was another episode of China’s attempt to influence its own citizens, as well as the citizens of the world, through strategic media campaigns.

A State Department official stated, “Regarding websites, we object to Beijing dictating how U.S. firms, including airlines, organize their websites for ease of consumer use. Chinese companies’ websites operate freely and without political interference in the United States.”