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Chinese customs officers 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 territory.

The maps, customs representatives explained, also "failed to include important islands" in the disputed South China Sea waters, where Beijing's claims overlap with those of its regional neighbors, including the Philippine government 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, authorities said.

Cartographic materials are a sensitive topic for Chinese authorities and its rivals for reefs, maritime features and rock formations in the South China Sea.

Specific Compliance Issues

Customs authorities explained that the maps also failed to include the nine-segment line, which outlines China's territorial assertion over almost the whole South China Sea.

The demarcation includes nine lines which stretches hundreds of miles southeastern direction from its southern province of Hainan Island.

The seized maps also failed to indicate the sea border between China and Japan, authorities said.

Cross-Strait Status

Authorities said the maps improperly identified "Taiwan province", without detailing what exactly the incorrect labeling was.

China sees self-governed Taiwan as its sovereign land and has maintained the option of the use of military action to unify with the island. But Taiwan views itself as separate from the Chinese mainland, with its own governing document and democratically-elected leaders.

Regional Disputes

Disputes in the South China Sea sometimes intensify - most recently over the weekend, when maritime craft from China and the Philippines figured in another encounter.

Manila accused a Chinese ship of intentionally colliding with and firing its water cannon at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Beijing stated the incident happened after the vessel from the Philippines disregarded multiple alerts and "moved perilously near" the Chinese vessel.

Previous Precedents

The Philippine government and Vietnam are also particularly sensitive to portrayals of the disputed maritime region in cartographic materials.

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

The declaration from China Customs did not indicate where the confiscated materials were destined for sale. China supplies much of the global merchandise, from holiday decorations to stationery.

The confiscation of "problematic maps" by Chinese customs officers is not uncommon - though the amount of the maps confiscated in the Shandong region easily eclipses previous confiscations. Goods that do not meet standards at the border control are eliminated.

In March, customs officers at an air transportation hub in Qingdao seized a batch of 143 nautical charts that featured "apparent inaccuracies" in the sovereign limits.

In August, customs officers in the northern province confiscated two "non-compliant charts" that, among other things, included a "misdrawing" of the Tibet's boundaries.