Air France is the latest airline to appease China by changing the way it describes Taiwan, as Beijing hands carriers an extension to mid-2018

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China has granted a number of airlines, including United Airlines and Qantas, an extension to mid-2018 to change references to Taiwan on their websites.

Last month, China sent a letter to 36 foreign airlines demanding they stop listing Taiwan as a country by May 25.

On the same day as the deadline, Business Insider noticed Air France became the latest airline to change its reference of Taiwan from a country to a province of China, which is China's preferred description.

China has ramped up its territorial claim in 2018 by targeting how Taiwan is described by foreign companies including airlines.

Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, British Airways, Malaysian Airlines, and Air Canada have all changed references to Taiwan this year.

Air France has become the latest major airline to change how it refers to Taiwan as a Friday deadline imposed by China was extended until mid-2018.

Last month, China's Civil Aviation Authority CAA sent a letter to 36 foreign airlines demanding they stop referring to Taiwan as a country on their websites by May 25. The US State Department told Business Insider it raised "strong concerns" with Beijing over the letter, and the White House deemed the situation "Orwellian nonsense."See the rest of the story at Business InsiderNOW WATCH: What will probably happen with the North and South Korean peace treatySee Also:Trump's trade war with China is 'on hold,' but the fight is far from overTrump's lauded North Korea summit increasingly looks set to blow up in his faceTrump keeps touting a deal with China on trade, and markets are loving itSEE ALSO: China wants to dictate how foreign airlines refer to Taiwan and the US is having none of it this is how every major airline is responding

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