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Chinese customs officers in the coastal province of Shandong have confiscated 60,000 maps that "incorrectly labeled" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its sovereign land.

The maps, authorities said, also "left out important islands" in the South China Sea, where Beijing's claims conflict with those of its regional neighbors, including the Philippine government and Vietnam.

The "violating" maps, destined for overseas markets, cannot be sold because they "endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the People's Republic of China, authorities said.

Maps are a delicate subject for Chinese authorities and its rivals for reefs, maritime features and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Specific Violations

Customs authorities said that the maps also failed to include the nine-segment line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over almost the whole South China Sea.

The line comprises nine dashes which runs a significant distance south and east from its southern province of Hainan.

The seized maps also omitted the maritime boundary between China and Japan, authorities said.

Taiwan Situation

Officials stated the maps improperly identified "Taiwan province", without clarifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

China considers self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has kept open the possibility of the use of force to unify with the island. But Taiwanese authorities views itself as different from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and popularly chosen officials.

Geopolitical Tensions

Conflicts in the South China Sea periodically escalate - just recently over the weekend, when vessels from Chinese authorities and the Philippines were involved in another confrontation.

Manila claimed a Chinese vessel of intentionally colliding with and using water cannons at a official Philippine ship.

But Beijing stated the incident happened after the Philippine ship ignored repeated warnings and "moved perilously near" the Chinese vessel.

Historical Precedents

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

The Barbie movie from last year was banned in the Vietnamese market and edited in the Philippines for displaying a maritime chart with the nine-segment boundary.

The announcement from China Customs did not indicate where the intercepted items were planned for distribution. China produces much of the global merchandise, from holiday decorations to office supplies.

The seizure of "problematic maps" by customs officials is not uncommon - though the number of the maps seized in Shandong substantially surpasses previous confiscations. Products that are non-compliant at the customs are destroyed.

In spring, border authorities at an airport in Qingdao confiscated a batch of one hundred forty-three navigation charts that featured "apparent inaccuracies" in the territorial boundaries.

In late summer, customs officers in Hebei province intercepted a pair of "problematic maps" that, in addition to other issues, contained a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.