China's vise grip on corporate America

This isn’t the first time Beijing has squeezed an apology out of — or even changed the behavior of — an American entity.

Marriott apologized to China after Beijing shut down the hotel chain’s website because it listed Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Macau as separate countries. “We don’t support separatist groups that subvert the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China,” the company said in a statement.

All three big U.S. airlines — American, United and Delta — bent to China’s will last summer and scrubbed references to Taiwan as its own country.

The Gap — under threat of getting cut out of China — apologized for selling T-shirts with a map of China that didn’t include Tibet or Taiwan. The company said its map was “incorrect.”

Beijing, which is Hollywood’s biggest international market, has also pushed American studios to alter content in order to get into Chinese theaters.