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

The maps, officials stated, also "omitted important islands" in the South China Sea, where Beijing's claims conflict with those of its neighbors, including the Philippine government and Vietnam.

The "problematic" maps, destined for overseas markets, cannot be sold because they "threaten national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of China, authorities said.

Maps are a contentious issue for China and its regional competitors for coral formations, islands and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Detailed Compliance Issues

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

The demarcation includes nine lines which runs a significant distance southeastward from its southernmost province of Hainan Island.

The confiscated materials also failed to indicate the maritime boundary between mainland China and the Japanese archipelago, officials confirmed.

Taiwan Status

Customs representatives explained the maps improperly identified "the Taiwan region", without specifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

China sees self-governed Taiwan as its sovereign land and has maintained the option of the use of force to unify with the island. But Taiwan considers itself different from the mainland China, with its own governing document and elected leadership.

Regional Tensions

Tensions in the disputed maritime region periodically escalate - just recently over the weekend, when ships from Chinese authorities and the Philippine government participated in another confrontation.

Manila claimed a Chinese ship of purposefully hitting and firing its water cannon at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Beijing stated the confrontation happened after the Philippine ship ignored repeated warnings and "dangerously approached" the Chinese vessel.

Historical Similar Cases

The Philippine government and Vietnamese authorities are also particularly sensitive to depictions of the disputed maritime region in maps.

The popular motion picture from 2023 was prohibited in Vietnam and modified in the Philippines for depicting a maritime chart with the nine dash line.

The statement from customs authorities did not specify where the confiscated materials were intended to be sold. China produces much of the global merchandise, from holiday decorations to stationery.

The seizure of "problematic maps" by customs officials is not uncommon - though the quantity of the maps seized in the Shandong region substantially surpasses previous confiscations. Products that are non-compliant at the border control are destroyed.

In spring, customs officers at an air transportation hub in the coastal city intercepted a shipment of 143 marine maps that featured "obvious errors" in the national borders.

In August, customs officers in the northern province intercepted a pair of "problematic maps" that, besides other problems, included a "improper representation" of the Tibet's boundaries.