Congressman John Moolenaar Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP | Official Website
Chairman John Moolenaar of the House Select Committee on China and Senator Marsha Blackburn have reached out to the CEOs of Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt Hotels with concerns about how these companies refer to Taiwan in their promotional materials. The lawmakers are questioning the use of "Taiwan, China," a term they argue is inconsistent with U.S. policy and gives undue legitimacy to China's claims over Taiwan.
"The current practice, with implicit reference to Taiwan being a part of China, stands in stark contrast to the position of the United States government—to the detriment of Taiwan, a thriving democracy and one of America’s top trading partners," said Chairman Moolenaar and Senator Blackburn.
The letter from Moolenaar and Blackburn cites a communication from October 2024 by the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and State. This communication urged Fortune 500 companies to refer to Taiwan as simply "Taiwan," aligning with U.S. policy upheld by both major political parties.
"Using terminology such as ‘Taiwan, China,’ gives false credence to the PRC’s position of authority and sovereignty over Taiwan and implies that Taiwan is the property of the PRC," they wrote. "Not only does this directly contradict U.S. policy, but it also undermines Taiwan’s democratic system."
Moolenaar and Blackburn have asked these hotel chains for responses to three specific questions: whether their decision was influenced by the Chinese government; if they will correct it; and if they will commit to referring to Taiwan accurately as "Taiwan."
“We urge Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt to review this practice and ensure that your companies’ language on both U.S. and Taiwan-hosted websites properly reflects long-standing U.S. policy,” concludes their letter.
