Firms must respect China's core interests

Respecting China's core interests is the bottom line for companies operating in the country. That is why it is hard to understand why a global hotel chain such as Marriott listed Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and Taiwan and Tibet as "separate countries" in a recent questionnaire emailed to its customers.

Territorial integrity is the core interest of China, and Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Tibet are all indispensable parts of China. These facts are beyond doubt and challenge.

"We welcome foreign enterprises to do business in China. (But) they should respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, abide by Chinese law, and respect the Chinese people's feelings, which are the foundation for any corporation to do business in any country," said Lu Kang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in reply to a question on the Marriott incident at a news briefing in Beijing on Friday.