German automaker Mercedes-Benz is the latest foreign company offering an apology to China for quoting the Dalai Lama on Instagram.
A unit of Daimler AG last week attached a quote from the Tibetan spiritual leader to a post next to one of its luxury sedans.
"Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open," the ad said, citing the Dalai Lama. "Start your week with a fresh perspective on life from the Dalai Lama," the tagline said.
The ad was posted and garnered nearly 90,000 likes before Mercedes deleted it the following day.
The Global Times, the media mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, criticized Mercedes by saying the company was quick to respond to the incident but shouldn't make such mistakes in the first place.
The carmaker apologized for hurting "the feelings" of Chinese people by quoting the Dalai Lama in a post on its Instagram account.
A number of international companies, including Zara, Marriott, Qantas, and Delta Air Lines, have apologized to China this year for listing Taiwan and Hong Kong as "countries" on their websites.
Marriott was forced to close its website for a week and others were ordered to apologize publicly.
These incidents across different industries highlight the growing pressure on foreign businesses for being more careful about local sensitivities.
Concerns over slowing Chinese economic growth and a slew of regulatory barriers further makes it difficult for foreign companies to do business in China.
