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Customs authorities in China in eastern Shandong province have intercepted 60,000 maps that "incorrectly labeled" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities considers part of its territory.

The maps, customs representatives explained, also "failed to include important islands" in the South China Sea, where China's territorial assertions conflict with those of its neighbors, including the Philippines and Vietnamese authorities.

The "violating" maps, c intended for foreign distribution, cannot be sold because they "threaten national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of China, customs representatives stated.

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

Specific Violations

Customs authorities stated that the maps also failed to include the nine-segment line, which demarcates China's territorial assertion over the vast majority of the South China Sea.

The boundary consists of nine segments which extends hundreds of miles southeastern direction from its southernmost province of Hainan.

The intercepted cartographic items also did not mark the sea border between China and the Japanese archipelago, officials confirmed.

Cross-Strait Situation

Authorities said the maps improperly identified "Taiwan province", without clarifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

The Chinese government considers self-governed Taiwan as its sovereign land and has not ruled out the use of military action to take the island. But Taiwan sees itself as different from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and popularly chosen officials.

Regional Tensions

Tensions in the disputed maritime region periodically escalate - in recent days over the weekend, when ships from China and the Philippines were involved in another confrontation.

Manila claimed a China's maritime craft of purposefully hitting and firing its water cannon at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Beijing said the confrontation happened after the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings and "came too close to" the Chinese ship.

Historical Similar Cases

The Philippine government and Vietnamese authorities are also highly vigilant to portrayals of the disputed maritime region in maps.

The 2023 Barbie film from 2023 was banned in the Vietnamese market and modified in the Philippine release for depicting a maritime chart with the controversial demarcation.

The announcement from customs authorities did not say where the confiscated materials were destined for sale. China produces much of the international products, from holiday decorations to office supplies.

The interception of "problematic maps" by Chinese customs officers is not uncommon - though the quantity of the maps intercepted in Shandong easily eclipses past seizures. Products that are non-compliant at the border control are eliminated.

In March, border authorities at an airport in Qingdao seized a batch of one hundred forty-three nautical charts that included "obvious errors" in the territorial boundaries.

In August, border authorities in Hebei province intercepted two "problematic maps" that, among other things, included a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.