Snickers Maker Issues Apology After Labeling Taiwan a Country

Mars Wrigley, the company that makes Snickers, is apologizing after it listed the self-governing island of Taiwan among a select few countries where a limited edition candy bar would be offered.

Reuters reported on Friday, “Videos and pictures of an event promoting a limited edition Snickers bar that was said to be only available in the ‘countries’ of South Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan went viral on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo on Friday.”

China state-run media outlet Global Times tweeted, “Snickers on [Friday] apologized for marking Taiwan island as a country, saying its local team has verified [and] aligned the official site and social media accounts to ensure accurate content.”

“Snickers owner Mars Wrigley said it respects China’s [national] sovereignty and territorial integrity,” it added.

Snickers on Fri apologized for marking Taiwan island as a country, saying its local team has verified & aligned the official site and social media accounts to ensure accurate content. Snickers owner Mars Wrigley said it respects China's natl sovereignty and territorial integrity. pic.twitter.com/TshespKEf5
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 5, 2022

The apology comes after China announced it sanctioned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her family after she visited Taiwan, as IJR reported.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said sanctions against Pelosi and her family on Friday were in response to her “egregious provocation.’

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“In disregard of China’s grave concerns and firm opposition, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi insisted on visiting China’s Taiwan region. This constitutes a gross interference in China’s internal affairs,” the spokesperson said, adding, “It gravely undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, seriously tramples on the one-China principle, and severely threatens peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

In a statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it would end talks with the U.S. on military issues. It also said it will suspend cooperation with the repatriation of illegal immigrants, legal matters, counter-narcotics operations, and transnational crimes.

Chinese officials maintain that Taiwan is a part of China.

However, Taiwanese officials dispute that notion and say that the modern Chinese state never included the island in its territory.

Mars Wrigley’s apology is not the first time an apology was issued after labeling Taiwan a country.

In a 2021 interview promoting the ninth film in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, actor John Cena said, “Taiwan is the first country to watch Fast and Furious 9.”

However, he later issued an apology in Mandarin as he said, “I must say right now, it’s very, very, very, very, very, very important.”