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Customs authorities in China in the coastal province of Shandong have seized sixty thousand maps that "incorrectly labeled" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its sovereign land.

The maps, authorities said, also "failed to include important islands" in the South China Sea, where Beijing's claims overlap with those of its regional neighbors, including the Philippines and Vietnamese authorities.

The "violating" maps, destined for overseas markets, cannot be sold because they "endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the People's Republic of China, officials confirmed.

Maps are a sensitive topic for Chinese authorities and its rivals for reefs, maritime features and rock formations in the South China Sea.

Specific Compliance Issues

China Customs stated that the maps also omitted the nine-dash boundary, which defines China's territorial assertion over nearly the entire South China Sea.

The boundary consists of nine segments which runs a significant distance southeastward from its southernmost province of Hainan Island.

The intercepted cartographic items also failed to indicate the oceanic demarcation between mainland China and Japan, customs representatives stated.

Taiwan Situation

Officials stated the maps incorrectly labeled "the Taiwan region", without detailing what exactly the improper identification was.

China views self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has kept open the possibility of the use of military action to unify with the island. But Taiwanese authorities views itself as different from the mainland China, with its own constitution and elected leadership.

Regional Tensions

Tensions in the disputed maritime region flare up occasionally - just recently over the weekend, when vessels from China and the Philippine government were involved in another incident.

Manila accused a China's maritime craft of intentionally colliding with and using water cannons at a official Philippine ship.

But Chinese officials claimed the incident happened after the Philippine vessel disregarded multiple alerts and "moved perilously near" the Chinese ship.

Previous Similar Cases

The Philippines and Vietnamese authorities are also especially concerned to portrayals of the South China Sea in maps.

The popular motion picture from 2023 was banned in Vietnam and modified in the Philippine release for displaying a South China Sea map with the controversial demarcation.

The announcement from customs authorities did not indicate where the confiscated materials were destined for sale. China produces much of the world's goods, from holiday decorations to office supplies.

The confiscation of "problematic maps" by customs officials is relatively common - though the quantity of the maps intercepted in Shandong significantly exceeds previous confiscations. Merchandise that are non-compliant at the border control are destroyed.

In spring, customs officers at an air transportation hub in the coastal city seized a shipment of one hundred forty-three marine maps that contained "apparent inaccuracies" in the national borders.

In August, customs officers in the northern province intercepted two "non-compliant charts" that, besides other problems, contained a "improper representation" of the the Tibet region's limits.