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Chinese customs officers in the coastal province of Shandong have seized sixty thousand maps that "mislabelled" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory.

The maps, authorities said, also "left out important islands" in the South China Sea, where Beijing's claims overlap with those of its neighbors, including the Philippine government and Vietnamese authorities.

The "problematic" maps, meant for export, cannot be sold because they "endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of China, officials confirmed.

Cartographic materials are a delicate subject for Chinese authorities and its regional competitors for reefs, maritime features and rock formations in the South China Sea.

Specific Violations

China Customs said that the maps also did not contain the nine-dash line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over the vast majority of the South China Sea.

The boundary consists of nine dashes which stretches numerous nautical miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan Island.

The intercepted cartographic items also omitted the sea border between mainland China and Japan, officials confirmed.

Taiwan Status

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

China views self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has maintained the option of the use of force to unify with the island. But Taiwanese authorities sees itself as different from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and elected leadership.

Regional Disputes

Conflicts in the disputed maritime region flare up occasionally - most recently over the weekend, when ships from China and the Philippine government figured in another confrontation.

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

But Chinese officials stated the incident happened after the vessel from the Philippines failed to heed continual notices and "moved perilously near" the Chinese ship.

Historical Precedents

The Philippine government and Vietnam are also particularly sensitive to portrayals of the South China Sea in cartographic materials.

The popular motion picture from 2023 was banned in Vietnam and edited in the Philippine release for displaying a maritime chart with the controversial demarcation.

The announcement from customs authorities did not indicate where the seized maps were planned for distribution. The country supplies much of the world's goods, from Christmas lights to stationery.

The confiscation of "violating charts" by Chinese customs officers is not uncommon - though the amount of the maps intercepted in Shandong easily eclipses previous confiscations. Products that do not meet standards at the border control are destroyed.

In spring, border authorities at an airport in the coastal city intercepted a batch of one hundred forty-three navigation charts that included "apparent inaccuracies" in the sovereign limits.

In late summer, customs officers in the northern province seized two "problematic maps" that, among other things, contained a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.