Taiwan McDonald's ad angers China for some strange reason

TAIWAN — McDonald's is in trouble with China after one of its advertisement in Taiwan listed a female student's nationality as Taiwanese.

In the advertisement, the student's exam permit was seen falling on to the streets on her way to take the exam, which is when it is revealed that the student's nationality is written as Taiwan.

McDonald's Taiwan said the commercial was meant to advertise McDonald's Egg McMuffins, which translates to "full of good luck" in Mandarin Chinese, Taipei Times reports.

This sparked outrage in China, with netizens complaining that McDonald's is showing its support for Taiwan independence, according to Focus Taiwan.

This prompted Taiwan's McDonald's to remove the advertisement.

China's McDonald's responded on Weibo saying that the advertisement was meant to show its support to students looking to take the entrance exams for universities, adding that McDonald's supports and will continue to support the "One China" policy.

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded in a joking manner saying: "What? Now even hamburgers have to follow the one China principle? You've got to be kidding me!"

Twitter users also shared their thoughts on the issue with most finding the situation to be "ridiculous" and "hilarious."

SOURCES: Next Shark, Taipei Times, Focus Taiwan, United Daily News
https://nextshark.com/mcdonalds-taiwan-china-ad/
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2019/01/20/2003708291
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/acs/201901190009.aspx
https://udn.com/news/story/7331/3602455