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Customs authorities in China in the coastal province of Shandong have intercepted sixty thousand maps that "mislabelled" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities considers part of its sovereign land.

The maps, customs representatives explained, also "failed to include important islands" in the South China Sea, where China's territorial assertions overlap with those of its neighbors, including the Philippine government and Vietnam.

The "violating" maps, meant for export, cannot be sold because they "threaten national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of China, officials confirmed.

Maps are a delicate subject for Chinese authorities and its regional competitors for reefs, islands and outcrops in the South China Sea.

Detailed Violations

China Customs stated that the maps also omitted the nine-dash line, which demarcates China's territorial assertion over the vast majority of the South China Sea.

The line comprises nine dashes which runs numerous nautical miles southeastern direction from its southernmost province of Hainan.

The intercepted cartographic items also omitted the oceanic demarcation between China and Japan, authorities said.

Cross-Strait Situation

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

China views self-governed Taiwan as its territory and has kept open the possibility of the use of force to unify with the island. But Taiwan sees itself as different from the mainland China, with its own governing document and democratically-elected leaders.

Geopolitical Tensions

Tensions in the disputed maritime region sometimes intensify - most recently over the weekend, when ships from China and the Philippines figured in another encounter.

Manila claimed a China's maritime craft of intentionally colliding with and deploying water jets at a official Philippine ship.

But Chinese officials claimed the confrontation happened after the Philippine ship disregarded multiple alerts and "came too close to" the Chinese ship.

Historical Precedents

The Philippines and Vietnam are also especially concerned to depictions of the South China Sea in cartographic materials.

The popular motion picture from 2023 was prohibited in the Vietnamese market and edited in the Philippines for showing a South China Sea map with the controversial demarcation.

The announcement from customs authorities did not specify where the intercepted items were destined for sale. China provides much of the international products, from Christmas lights to stationery.

The interception of "violating charts" by customs officials is relatively common - though the quantity of the maps intercepted in the Shandong region significantly exceeds earlier interceptions. Goods that are non-compliant at the customs are disposed of.

In spring, border authorities at an airport in the coastal city seized a batch of 143 nautical charts that included "apparent inaccuracies" in the sovereign limits.

In late summer, customs officers in the northern province confiscated two "problematic maps" that, among other things, featured a "incorrect depiction" of the the Tibet region's limits.