website.

The government of President Xi Jinping has been increasingly assertive about its claims to self-ruled Taiwan. Delta Air Lines, hotel operator Marriott, fashion brand Zara and other companies have apologized to China for referring to Taiwan, semi-autonomous Hong Kong, and Tibet as countries on websites or promotional material.

The White House on Saturday condemned China's efforts to control how U.S. airlines refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, saying the push to make them comply with Chinese standards is "Orwellian nonsense."

People hold up flags of the United States, China and Taiwan during Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen's stop-over after her visit to Latin America in Burlingame, California, Jan. 14, 2017.REUTERS/Stephen Lam

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement that Trump would "stand up for Americans resisting efforts by theChinese Communist Party to impose Chinese political correctness on American companies and citizens."

China's Civil Aviation Administration has demanded the change from 36 foreign carriers, including some American carriers, according to the White House.

"This is Orwellian nonsense and part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies," Sanders said. She said the Trump administration is calling on China "to stop threatening and coercing American carriers and citizens."

The harshly worded statement came as a high-level trade delegation led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin returned from negotiations in China and as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with a member of the Chinese Communist Party leadership.

In their telephone conversation on Saturday, Pompeo and Politburo member Yang Jiechi "affirmed the