Former NBA star Dwight Howard has landed himself in hot water with China after a video emerged of him referring to Taiwan as a country.

“Since I came to Taiwan, I’ve gained a whole new appreciation of this country. This place makes me feel so much love,” he said in the promotional clip, alongside the democratic island’s vice president.

Over on social media, however, Chinese users demanded an official statement.

"It was not my intention to harm anyone with what I said in the commercial,” he said in an apology.