Qantas boss Alan Joyce has defended his decision to roll over to Beijing's demands on how it refers to Taiwan, saying his airline was doing the same thing as the Australian government.

The airline confirmed last week that it would change its website and booking systems so it no longer referred to Taiwan - a self-governing island of more than 23 million people - as a separate country to mainland China.

The Chinese government considers Taiwan a breakaway province that will one day be reunited with the mainland government, and its aviation regulator wrote to about 30 foreign airlines earlier this year demanding they cease referring to it as an independent nation.

Major companies have had their websites blocked in China for publishing material that was inconsistent with the nation's "One China" policy.