Marriott International, the hotel chain, wants to be clear on this point: It does not support separatist elements in China.

Marriott is best known for its hospitality, not fomenting rebellion in the countries where it does business. Nevertheless, it apologized to the Chinese government on Thursday for the way it worded a customer survey — wording that has spurred intense online criticism and a government investigation.

The problem: The survey listed Tibet, a region of China, and Taiwan, an island it claims as its own, as separate countries, according to Chinese media reports. It also listed Hong Kong and Macau — territories that are ruled by China — as separate, according to the reports.

The error is a common one, and easy to make, among companies that do business there. A simple website drop-down menu labeled “countries” can inadvertently bestow the nation label on places like Taiwan and Hong Kong.