Chinese tourists were embroiled in a territorial dispute while on holiday - attacking a reveller who was carrying the flag of Taiwan at a music festival.

Four men from the Communist rogue state are said to have approached the terrified music-lover, who would only give his name as Michael, while he was holding the red and blue banner at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Phuket, Thailand on January 19.

They surrounded Michael while he was sitting on a folding deck chair before a tussled ensued with one of them grabbing the flag.

Footage shows Michael standing up as the Chinese men argue with him. One of them took the Taiwanese flag away but Michael tried to resist and take it back.

However, the flag thief's friends stopped him and his girlfriend, who was caught up in the argument.

The Taiwanese American living in Japan said: 'We were sitting by the Aperol Spritz area listening to Cosmic Gate with my Chinese girlfriend. I was not making a political statement. I merely want to represent my identity.'

Michael added that he also had a Japanese flag as he currently lives there.

He added: 'Suddenly, there were four Chinese men.'

Michael added the Chinese group asked: 'Who's the Taiwanese?'

When they saw the two flags leaning together, Michael claimed one of them erroneously said: 'Separate those flags. Taiwan is part of China.'

Michael said: 'I was enraged. I asked them to leave. They should not have that attitude.

'One of them ripped my flag off the pole and others blocked and pushed me when I tried to take it.'

Michael said he tried to call staff members to help but they were unresponsive.

He added: 'I did not want to start a fight. A higher-level staff member approached and asked if I wanted to file a police report. I agreed but there was no follow-up.'

Michael said they were not the only Chinese people around, as a couple expressed their sympathies with him.

He said: 'It was a frustrating experience but still a great festival overall.

'To the Chinese guys who forcibly took my flag: I feel sorry for you all for being so small.

‘You are the ones making China look bad. Super un-PLUR and you don't deserve to be at this festival.

‘To be clear, I have nothing against normal non-brainwashed Chinese people and I've visited China plenty of times.'

Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), considers itself a sovereign state with its own government, military, and democratic system.

However, it has not declared formal independence, partly due to the risk of military conflict with the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Most countries, including the United States, do not officially recognise Taiwan as a separate country due to diplomatic relations with the PRC.