(Photo: CGTN)

Beijing has reemphasized the “One-China Principle” after its eastern island region Taiwan protested two major Japanese airlines over renaming “Taiwan” as “Chinese Taiwan” on their websites.

Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) said the change made on June 12 was meant to be easily understood and accepted by customers.

The two airlines have listed Taiwan as “Chinese Taiwan” in the simplified Chinese version of their website.

However, the name of the island region remains as “Taiwan” on the traditional Chinese, Japanese and English version of the websites.

Taiwan authorities protested the new moves of JAL and ANA on Monday.

In a response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Tuesday that there was only one China, adding it was a basic principle for companies to “abide by Chinese laws and respect its people’s national sentiments if they want to continue operating in the country.”

The spokesman urged Taiwan authorities not to be “the mantis trying to stop a chariot,” a Chinese idiom for overrating oneself and attempt something impossible.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has sent letters to 44 foreign airlines, asking them to comply with Beijing’s standard of referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau as Chinese territories.

The aviation regulation body said on May 25 that 18 of them have “completed the rectification”, while the rest delayed the process due to “technical reasons” and promised to modify their web pages no later than July 25.

Qantas, an Australian carrier once refused to change, has claimed that they would refer Taiwan as a territory instead of a nation, in comply with Australia's official position on Taiwan issues.

However, American Airlines has not made such changes, saying it was following the direction of the US government.