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Snickers bars: Suddenly part of an international conflict
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Matt Cardy/Getty Images
Snickers maker Mars Wrigley apologized on Friday for a campaign that apparently indirectly referred to Taiwan as a "country."
According to the Reuters news agency, numerous screenshots of an alleged online advertising campaign for a limited Snickers edition were shared on the Chinese Internet platform Weibo.
This bar is “only available in South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan”.
The manufacturer posted an apology on its Weibo account.
The content of the complaint had been changed.
"Mars Wrigley respects China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and conducts its business in strict compliance with local Chinese laws and regulations," it said.
The statement was apparently not enough to smooth the waves.
Numerous users on social media in China sharply attacked Mars Wrigley - the company had omitted in its apology that Taiwan is a cornerstone of Chinese foreign policy.
"Say it: Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory," read one comment, according to Reuters, which received 8,000 likes.
Crisis after Pelosi visit
Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States have been extremely tense since US top politician Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.
Beijing responded with extensive military maneuvers near the island and severed numerous diplomatic contacts with the United States.
The US government also reacted: Ambassador Qin Gang was summoned because of the major Chinese maneuvers.
The behavior of the People's Republic is provocative, criticized John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council.
The Chinese reaction to Pelosi's visit could endanger peace and stability in the region.
The USA would have no interest in a crisis.
Sol/Reuters