China is now accused of deleting Israel from its online maps. The disappearance of the Middle Eastern country's name on Alibaba and Baidu was noticed by many Chinese netizens.
Because of this, many online users are now criticizing the two Chinese tech firms, claiming that they are deliberately omitting Israel.
Is this issue a sign that China is provoking the Israeli government? Here's what critics say about the latest issue with Chinese online maps.
Did China Remove Israel From Online Maps?
According to Yahoo Finance, the name Israel doesn't appear on online maps owned by Alibaba and Baidu. Chinese netizens clarified that the names of nearby countries, such as Jordan, Iraq, and Cyprus are still visible.
This new online anomaly in China sparks surprise and anger among internet users. Shaun Maguire, a partner at Silicon Valley venture capital company Sequoia, claimed that Alibaba and Baidu are deliberately omitting Israel.
He added that removing the country's name is a major provocation from the Asian nation. However, one of the tech firms, Baidu, denied the accusations.
The company's spokesman, Jing Meng, argued that the name of Israel doesn't appear on Baidu's online map because smaller countries are not always displayed at certain zoom levels.
"Where space is limited, our maps may not display the names or flags of some territories. Users can find corresponding countries or areas on Baidu Maps by simply using the map's search function," explained Meng.
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Is Baidu's Explanation True?
Some online experts said that if Baidu doesn't display the name of Israel because of its size, then why is Lebanon still on its map despite it being half the landmass of the Israeli nation?
Other enthusiasts decided to try the theory of Baidu. However, they can't see the Middle Eastern country's name no matter what zoom level they are using.
Although this is the case, they are still navigated to Israel's location when they are searching for its name on the Chinese online maps.
News 18 reported that China has been accused of using its online maps for its own benefit. This includes spreading fake news and false claims regarding certain issues, especially problems with its enemy countries.
Some of its incorrect map depictions even led to diplomatic issues with its neighbors, such as Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, and India.
