A recent directive from a major Chinese e-commerce platform, Weidian, has mandated that all product translations replace the term "Tibet" with "Xizang," aligning with Beijing's preference for the Chinese pinyin version. Weidian, similar to Shopify, operates numerous online retail outlets, stressing the importance of compliance with the language shift to avoid product removal. The move follows a string of efforts by Chinese authorities to influence the global discourse surrounding the region, emphasizing the political significance of the name change.

In the context of Beijing's narrative, "Tibet" has been perceived as potentially fueling misconceptions about the concept of "Greater Tibet," encompassing territories beyond the Tibet autonomous region. This latest action has triggered discussions among social media users, with some suggesting analogous changes to other names based on Chinese pinyin, while others critique it as overcompensation, pointing to previous instances like the alteration of English names in the Beijing subway. Despite the adjustments in certain Chinese state media, the use of both "Tibet" and "Xizang" persists in various contexts, illustrating the nuanced complexities surrounding linguistic preferences and geographical designations in China.