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| China and Taiwan mixed up in White House gaffe | China and Taiwan mixed up in White House gaffe |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A formal statement from the White House was issued with a very public error - mixing up China and Taiwan. | A formal statement from the White House was issued with a very public error - mixing up China and Taiwan. |
| A press release following Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit called him president "of the Republic of China". | A press release following Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit called him president "of the Republic of China". |
| That is the official name of Taiwan. Mr Xi is, in fact, President of the People's Republic of China. | That is the official name of Taiwan. Mr Xi is, in fact, President of the People's Republic of China. |
| Earlier, the White House had also labelled Shinzo Abe president of Japan. He is the prime minister. | Earlier, the White House had also labelled Shinzo Abe president of Japan. He is the prime minister. |
| The online version of the statement on China now simply refers to "President Xi of China", and the Japan statement has also been corrected. | The online version of the statement on China now simply refers to "President Xi of China", and the Japan statement has also been corrected. |
| Social media users were quick to point out the error, which many feel should be obvious to government officials. | Social media users were quick to point out the error, which many feel should be obvious to government officials. |
| Chris Lu, a White House Cabinet Secretary under former President Obama, tweeted: "Ouch. White House just referred to Xi Jinping as leader of Republic of China, which is Taiwan," appending the hashtag: "#AmateurHour". | Chris Lu, a White House Cabinet Secretary under former President Obama, tweeted: "Ouch. White House just referred to Xi Jinping as leader of Republic of China, which is Taiwan," appending the hashtag: "#AmateurHour". |
| The distinction between two similar-sounding official names is important for two neighbours that have tense relations. | The distinction between two similar-sounding official names is important for two neighbours that have tense relations. |
| China regards Taiwan as breakaway province which will eventually rejoin the mainland. | China regards Taiwan as breakaway province which will eventually rejoin the mainland. |
| In a separate development, a picture posted on Mr Trump's Intagram account showing the president with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong initially misidentified him as Indonesian President Joko Widodo. | |
| The error was quickly pointed out on social media and rectified. |