Daimler issues second apology to China over Dalai Lama

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German carmaker Daimler on Thursday issued a second emphatic apology to China after its subsidiary Mercedes Benz quoted the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in an Instagram post.

It initially apologized on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, on Tuesday over the advert that showed a car with the words: "Look at situations from all angles, and you will become more open," the BBC reported.

Instagram is blocked in China but the post was reposted by Chinese internet users, causing a commotion.

The company's first apology was welcomed by China's Foreign Ministry but dismissed by the People's Daily daily, which said it "lacks sincerity and reflects the German carmaker's lack of understanding of Chinese culture and values".

Earlier this year, China shut down the Chinese websites of Marriott International for a week, after the firm listed Tibet and others as separate countries in a Chinese-language questionnaire to customers.

--IANS

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