For the second time this year, the British Biscuit Company (BBC) have committed a major blunder involving Taiwan.  Neither was critical, but it doesn’t speak well for their journalistic standards.

Back in March, the BBC erroneously reported about a UK couple on their way to Australia.  They were quarantined for two weeks in Taiwan, and the BBC reported claims of the woman’s mother, that the accomodations were substandard and “prison like”.  Photos of the apartment, food and other living conditions proved otherwise.  The BBC deleted the story and pretends it doesn’t exist.

The same thing happened again on Saturday, the BBC labelling Taiwan’s Independence Day celebrations as “North Korea”.  It’s gallingly incompetent not just because Taiwan’s flag is highly visible and there were no missiles or tanks, but also because North Korea’s military parade was at 4am, in the dark.  Taiwan’s was midday.  How do you make that mistake?

BBC mistakes Taiwan Double Ten parade for North Korea

In a report about a military parade in North Korea, BBC International News erroneously showed footage of Taiwan’s Double Ten National Day celebrations Saturday (Oct. 10).

Observers had been expecting the communist regime to stage its largest-ever military display to mark the 75th anniversary of its ruling Workers Party. However, while discussing the event, the BBC news report showed footage of Saturday’s much more modest parade outside the Presidential Office in Taipei.

Though Taiwan flags and some landmark buildings in central Taipei were clearly visible, the BBC still showed the words “Live Pyongyang” at the top of the screen.