CCTV newscaster Hu Die accidentally referred to China and Taiwan as separate countries, contradicting Beijing’s official narrative.
Chinese state media has censored a news broadcast after an anchor mistakenly referred to Taiwan and China as « two countries » in a contradiction of Beijing’s official position.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese and Taiwanese foreign ministries with written requests for comment.Why It Matters
The government of Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, retreated to the island in 1949 after losing a civil war to communist forces. It has since operated as a sovereign state, with its own constitution, military and foreign relations.
However, Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and insists unification is inevitable—by force if necessary. China has increased the frequency of its punitive military drills around the island since the inauguration of its Beijing-skeptic President Lai Ching-te.What To Know
Hu Die, an anchor on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV-13, made the on-air slip while reporting on a statement from the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO)—a Chinese agency tasked with promoting Beijing’s messaging on Taiwan—criticizing remarks by President Lai the previous day.
