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Customs authorities in China in eastern Shandong province have intercepted sixty thousand maps that "incorrectly labeled" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities claims as part of its territory.

The maps, officials stated, 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 Vietnam.

The "violating" maps, c intended for foreign distribution, cannot be sold because they "endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the People's Republic of China, customs representatives stated.

Maps are a contentious issue for Chinese authorities and its regional competitors for coral formations, maritime features and outcrops in the South China Sea.

Detailed Compliance Issues

China Customs said that the maps also failed to include the nine-dash boundary, which defines Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea.

The boundary consists of nine lines which extends hundreds of miles southeastern direction from its southern province of Hainan Island.

The seized maps also did not mark the sea border between China and Japan, officials confirmed.

Cross-Strait Situation

Customs representatives explained the maps incorrectly labeled "Taiwan province", without specifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

China sees self-governed Taiwan as its sovereign land and has kept open the possibility of the use of force to take the island. But Taiwanese authorities views itself as different from the mainland China, with its own constitution and elected leadership.

Regional Tensions

Disputes in the South China Sea flare up occasionally - just recently over the weekend, when ships from China and the Philippine government participated in another encounter.

Manila claimed a Chinese ship of deliberately ramming and deploying water jets at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Chinese officials claimed the confrontation happened after the Philippine vessel disregarded multiple alerts and "dangerously approached" the Chinese ship.

Previous Precedents

The Philippines and Vietnamese authorities are also highly vigilant to depictions of the disputed maritime region in maps.

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

The announcement from customs authorities did not say where the intercepted items were planned for distribution. China provides much of the global merchandise, from Christmas lights to stationery.

The confiscation of "violating charts" by Chinese customs officers is relatively common - though the amount of the maps intercepted in Shandong substantially surpasses previous confiscations. Merchandise that fail inspection at the border control are disposed of.

In March, border authorities at an air transportation hub in Qingdao seized a batch of 143 marine maps that contained "obvious errors" in the sovereign limits.

In late summer, border authorities in the northern province seized two "non-compliant charts" that, in addition to other issues, featured a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.