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Customs authorities in China in eastern Shandong province have seized sixty thousand maps that "mislabelled" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.

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

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

Cartographic materials are a sensitive topic for China and its rivals for reefs, maritime features and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Detailed Violations

Customs authorities said that the maps also did not contain the nine-segment line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over almost the whole South China Sea.

The boundary consists of nine dashes which stretches numerous nautical miles southeastern direction from its most southerly province of Hainan Island.

The seized maps also did not mark the sea border between mainland China and Japan, customs representatives stated.

Cross-Strait Situation

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

The Chinese government sees self-governed Taiwan as its sovereign land and has kept open the possibility of the use of force to unify with the island. But Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the mainland China, with its own constitution and elected leadership.

Regional Disputes

Conflicts in the South China Sea flare up occasionally - in recent days over the weekend, when vessels from China and the Philippines were involved in another encounter.

Manila alleged a China's maritime craft of deliberately ramming and deploying water jets at a Philippine government vessel.

But Beijing said the confrontation happened after the vessel from the Philippines failed to heed continual notices and "moved perilously near" the Chinese ship.

Previous Similar Cases

The Philippines and Vietnam are also particularly sensitive to portrayals of the disputed maritime region in cartographic materials.

The popular motion picture from 2023 was banned in Vietnam and censored in the Philippines for displaying a South China Sea map with the nine-segment boundary.

The declaration from China Customs did not specify where the intercepted items were planned for distribution. China produces much of the world's goods, from Christmas lights to stationery.

The interception of "violating charts" by Chinese customs officers is not uncommon - though the quantity of the maps seized in Shandong easily eclipses past seizures. Merchandise that are non-compliant at the customs are destroyed.

In spring, customs officers at an airport in Qingdao confiscated a batch of 143 navigation charts that included "clear mistakes" in the territorial boundaries.

In August, customs officers in the northern province intercepted two "violating cartographic materials" that, in addition to other issues, contained a "improper representation" of the Tibetan border.