Chinese authorities confiscates 60,000 maps for 'improperly identifying' the island of Taiwan

Customs authorities in China in eastern Shandong province have confiscated sixty thousand maps that "improperly identified" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its sovereign land.

The maps, officials stated, also "left out important islands" in the disputed South China Sea waters, where Beijing's claims overlap 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 the People's Republic of China, customs representatives stated.

Cartographic materials are a delicate subject for Chinese authorities and its rivals for reefs, islands and outcrops in the South China Sea.

Detailed Violations

Customs authorities said that the maps also omitted 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 stretches a significant distance southeastward from its southern province of Hainan.

The seized maps also did not mark the maritime boundary between China and Japan, authorities said.

Taiwan Status

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

China considers self-governed Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of military action to unify with the island. But Taiwan views itself as different from the mainland China, with its own governing document and democratically-elected leaders.

Regional Disputes

Conflicts in the South China Sea sometimes intensify - in recent days over the weekend, when vessels from Chinese authorities and the Philippines figured in another confrontation.

Manila alleged a Chinese ship of intentionally colliding with and firing its water cannon at a official Philippine ship.

But Beijing claimed the incident happened after the Philippine ship disregarded multiple alerts and "came too close to" the China's maritime craft.

Historical Similar Cases

The Philippines and Vietnamese authorities are also particularly sensitive to depictions of the South China Sea in maps.

The popular motion picture from 2023 was banned in the Vietnamese market and modified in the Philippines for depicting a South China Sea map with the nine-segment boundary.

The declaration from China Customs did not indicate where the seized maps were intended to be sold. The country provides much of the world's goods, from Christmas lights to stationery.

The seizure of "problematic maps" by Chinese customs officers is frequently occurring - though the amount of the maps confiscated in the Shandong region significantly exceeds past seizures. Goods that fail inspection at the customs are disposed of.

In March, customs officers at an air transportation hub in the coastal city confiscated a batch of 143 marine maps that included "clear mistakes" in the sovereign limits.

In late summer, customs officers in the northern province seized two "non-compliant charts" that, besides other problems, included a "misdrawing" of the Tibet's boundaries.