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Chinese customs officers in eastern Shandong province have confiscated sixty thousand maps that "improperly identified" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities claims as part of its territory.

The maps, authorities said, also "omitted important islands" in the disputed South China Sea waters, where China's territorial assertions conflict with those of its regional neighbors, including the Philippine government and Vietnamese authorities.

The "non-compliant" maps, meant for export, cannot be sold because they "threaten national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the People's Republic of China, authorities said.

Cartographic materials are a contentious issue for China and its rivals for reefs, maritime features and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Detailed Violations

China Customs said that the maps also did not contain the nine-dash boundary, which outlines Beijing's claim over the vast majority of the 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 oceanic demarcation between China and Japan, customs representatives stated.

Taiwan Status

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

The Chinese government sees self-ruled Taiwan as its sovereign land and has kept open the possibility of the use of military action to take the island. But Taiwan sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and elected leadership.

Geopolitical Disputes

Tensions in the disputed maritime region periodically escalate - most recently over the weekend, when ships from China and the Philippine government participated in another confrontation.

Manila accused a Chinese vessel of purposefully hitting and firing its water cannon at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Chinese officials stated the encounter happened after the vessel from the Philippines ignored repeated warnings and "dangerously approached" the Chinese ship.

Previous Similar Cases

The Philippines and Vietnam are also especially concerned to portrayals of the disputed maritime region in cartographic materials.

The Barbie movie from last year was prohibited in Vietnam and censored in the Philippines for showing a maritime chart with the nine dash line.

The statement from customs authorities did not specify where the seized maps were planned for distribution. The country supplies much of the global merchandise, from Christmas lights to office supplies.

The confiscation of "violating charts" by customs officials is relatively common - though the quantity of the maps seized in Shandong easily eclipses past seizures. Products that fail inspection at the customs are eliminated.

In spring, border authorities at an airport in the coastal city seized a batch of one hundred forty-three marine maps that contained "apparent inaccuracies" in the national borders.

In August, border authorities in the northern province seized a pair of "violating cartographic materials" that, besides other problems, featured a "incorrect depiction" of the Tibet's boundaries.