Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has warned Beijing against using threats to pressure Qantas to adopt the communist party’s political line by referring to Taiwan as part of mainland China rather than a separate country.

Qantas confirmed last week it was one of 36 international airlines that had received letters from the Civil Aviation Administration of China ordering them to change the way they refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau - a demand the White House has branded “Orwellian nonsense”.

Ms Bishop, in response to questions from Fairfax Media on China’s demands, was less incendiary but nonetheless made it clear the private sector should not be pushed around.

“The terms that private companies choose to list destinations are a matter for them,” she said. “There should be no pressure from governments, whether ours or others, that threatens the ordinary operations of business.”