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Chinese customs officers in the coastal province of Shandong have intercepted sixty thousand maps that "incorrectly labeled" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities considers part of its territory.

The maps, authorities said, also "left out important islands" in the disputed South China Sea waters, where China's territorial assertions conflict with those of its regional neighbors, including the Philippine government and Vietnamese authorities.

The "problematic" maps, destined for overseas markets, cannot be sold because they "compromise national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the People's Republic of China, authorities said.

Cartographic materials are a contentious issue for Chinese authorities and its rivals for coral formations, islands and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Specific Compliance Issues

China Customs explained that the maps also failed to include the nine-segment line, which defines Beijing's claim over almost the whole South China Sea.

The boundary consists of nine dashes which runs a significant distance south and east from its southern province of Hainan Island.

The seized maps also did not mark the maritime boundary between China and the Japanese archipelago, authorities said.

Cross-Strait Status

Customs representatives explained the maps mislabelled "the Taiwan region", without clarifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

China sees self-ruled Taiwan as its sovereign land and has kept open the possibility of the use of force to take the island. But Taiwanese authorities considers itself distinct from the mainland China, with its own governing document and popularly chosen officials.

Geopolitical Disputes

Conflicts in the South China Sea flare up occasionally - most recently over the weekend, when vessels from China and the Philippines figured in another encounter.

Manila accused a Chinese vessel of intentionally colliding with and using water cannons at a official Philippine ship.

But Beijing stated the encounter happened after the Philippine vessel disregarded multiple alerts and "dangerously approached" the China's maritime craft.

Previous Similar Cases

The Philippines and Vietnam are also particularly sensitive to representations of the South China Sea in maps.

The 2023 Barbie film from 2023 was banned in Vietnam and censored in the Philippine release for showing a South China Sea map with the nine-segment boundary.

The announcement from China Customs did not specify where the seized maps were destined for sale. China provides much of the international products, from Christmas lights to office supplies.

The interception of "problematic maps" by customs officials is not uncommon - though the quantity of the maps confiscated in Shandong easily eclipses earlier interceptions. Merchandise that fail inspection at the customs are disposed of.

In spring, border authorities at an airport in the coastal city intercepted a batch of 143 marine maps that featured "clear mistakes" in the national borders.

In late summer, customs officers in Hebei province confiscated a pair of "violating cartographic materials" that, besides other problems, included a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.