Chinese customs officers in eastern Shandong province have seized 60,000 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 overlap with those of its neighbours, including the Philippines and Vietnam.
The 'problematic' maps, meant for export, cannot be sold because they 'endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity' of China, authorities stated. Maps are a sensitive topic for China and its rivals for reefs, islands and outcrops in the South China Sea.
China Customs said that the maps also did not contain the nine-dash line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea. This line comprises nine dashes extending hundreds of miles south and east from Hainan province's southernmost point.
The seized maps also did not mark the maritime boundary between China and Japan, authorities revealed. The maps had mislabelled 'Taiwan province,' although what constituted the mislabelling was not specified.
China views self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out force to take the island. However, Taiwan considers itself distinct from mainland China, boasting its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders.
Recent tensions in the South China Sea escalated when a Philippine government vessel accused a Chinese ship of ramming and using a water cannon during an encounter, while Beijing claims that the Philippine ship ignored warnings and approached dangerously.
Both the Philippines and Vietnam have sensitivities related to depictions of the South China Sea on maps. The recent 'Barbie' movie was banned in Vietnam and censored in the Philippines for showing an inaccurate South China Sea map.
The statement from China Customs did not specify the intended market for the seized maps, although China is known to supply a variety of goods worldwide. The confiscation of such 'problematic maps' is not unprecedented — customs officers have previously destroyed maps with noted inaccuracies.
In March, customs officials seized 143 nautical charts for containing 'obvious errors' in national borders, while in August, two maps were confiscated in Hebei for misrepresenting the Tibetan border.
