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

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

The "problematic" maps, destined for overseas markets, 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 delicate subject for China and its regional competitors for reefs, islands and rock formations in the South China Sea.

Specific Compliance Issues

Customs authorities said that the maps also failed to include the nine-segment line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea.

The line comprises nine lines which stretches hundreds of miles southeastward from its southernmost province of Hainan.

The intercepted cartographic items also failed to indicate the sea border between mainland China and Japan, authorities said.

Taiwan Status

Officials stated the maps mislabelled "the Taiwan region", without detailing what exactly the mislabelling was.

China views self-ruled Taiwan as its sovereign land and has kept open the possibility of the use of force to take the island. But Taiwan sees itself as separate from the Chinese mainland, with its own governing document and democratically-elected leaders.

Geopolitical Disputes

Conflicts in the South China Sea sometimes intensify - in recent days over the weekend, when vessels from Chinese authorities and the Philippine government were involved in another encounter.

Philippine authorities accused a Chinese ship of purposefully hitting and deploying water jets at a official Philippine ship.

But Beijing said the incident happened after the vessel from the Philippines ignored repeated warnings and "moved perilously near" the Chinese vessel.

Historical Similar Cases

The Philippine government and Vietnamese authorities are also particularly sensitive to portrayals of the disputed maritime region in cartographic materials.

The 2023 Barbie film from 2023 was banned in Vietnam and modified in the Philippine release for depicting a South China Sea map with the controversial demarcation.

The declaration from China Customs did not indicate where the confiscated materials were destined for sale. The country produces much of the world's goods, from Christmas lights to office supplies.

The confiscation of "violating charts" by Chinese customs officers is relatively common - though the number of the maps confiscated in the Shandong region significantly exceeds past seizures. Products that are non-compliant at the customs are disposed of.

In March, customs officers at an air transportation hub in the coastal city intercepted a shipment of 143 navigation charts that included "clear mistakes" in the national borders.

In late summer, customs officers in the northern province confiscated two "non-compliant charts" that, among other things, included a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.