Beijing (AFP)

Huawei, a national hero in China since the telecom giant is in the sights of Washington, was found Wednesday against all odds under fire from critics in his own country for references deemed suspicious in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The world's second largest smartphone is the latest in the world's largest companies to pay the price of the pro-communist vindictive in China, but the attacks so far targeted foreign groups, including this week the South Korean Samsung, number one of the sector, as well as the luxury brands Versace or Givenchy.

In this case, Internet users criticize the group of Shenzhen (South) the way Taiwan and Hong Kong are presented when the user of a phone in his P series selects the time zone in which it is located.

The people of Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, should click on the term "Taipei, Taiwan" in the drop-down menu - a heresy in the eyes of supporters of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) who claims sovereignty over the island, separated politically since 1949.

Subtlety: When written in simplified characters, the writing used in mainland China but not in Taiwan, the name of Taipei appears well and truly followed by the mention "China", as required by the CCP.

The same difference appears with regard to Hong Kong, followed by the term "China" only when the name of the autonomous territory is written in simplified characters (the former British colony uses traditional writing as Taiwan).

"Huawei has turned Taiwan into a country, it's unacceptable," storms a surfer on the social network Weibo. "Why Chinese companies can not respect the laws of the country?" Squeaks another.

Another lamented this behavior by a company "crushed with love" in China since it suffered the wrath of the Trump administration that suspects it of potential spying for the benefit of Beijing.

Asked by AFP, the company said it was looking into the matter.

Two other Chinese mobile phone manufacturers, Xiaomi and Oppo, are also in the spotlight for messages celebrating ... in 2014 the National Day in Taiwan, messages that have since been removed.

Despite these snags to the CCP line, some netizens call to moderate criticism against the national champions.

"When a carelessness is committed by a Chinese company, it will be obliged to comply with the law.Have your hatred to foreign competitors," suggests a commentator.

© 2019 AFP