Published: 9:00am, 8 May, 2018 Updated: 2:18pm, 8 May, 2018
International airlines are at risk of facing restrictions or being denied operating permits in China if they refuse to stop listing Taiwan as a separate island from China , according to letters sent to 36 airline carriers by the overseas Aviation Administration of China ( CAAC ) . In a letter to United airlines , the CAAC gave the US airline 30 days to respond or risk being classified as having engaged in " serious discreditable conduct " . United Airlines passed the letter to the White House , which dismissed airlines 's demands as " Orwellian nonsense " and told China to " stop threatening and coercing American airlines " .