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 said. Maps are a sensitive topic for China and its rivals for reefs, islands and outcrops in the South China Sea. China Customs stated that the maps also did not contain the nine-dash line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea.
The line comprises nine dashes, extending hundreds of miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan. The seized maps also did not mark the maritime boundary between China and Japan, authorities said. Additionally, the maps mislabelled 'Taiwan province', without specifying the exact nature of the mislabelling.
China sees self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island. Meanwhile, Taiwan views itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, boasting its own constitution and democratically elected leaders.
Tensions in the South China Sea occasionally flare up—most recently involving ships from China and the Philippines in another encounter, with Manila accusing a Chinese ship of ramming and firing its water cannon at a Philippine vessel. However, Beijing claimed that the incident occurred after the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings and 'dangerously approached' the Chinese ship.
The Philippines and Vietnam are particularly sensitive regarding maps of the South China Sea. For example, the Barbie movie was banned in Vietnam and censored in the Philippines due to a depiction of the South China Sea map featuring the nine-dash line.
China Customs did not specify where the seized maps were intended to be sold. The confiscation of such 'problematic maps' is not uncommon; in March, customs officers seized 143 nautical charts with 'obvious errors' in national borders, and in August, two maps were confiscated due to a 'misdrawing' of the Tibetan border.
The 'problematic' maps, meant for export, cannot be sold because they 'endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity' of China, authorities said. Maps are a sensitive topic for China and its rivals for reefs, islands and outcrops in the South China Sea. China Customs stated that the maps also did not contain the nine-dash line, which demarcates Beijing's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea.
The line comprises nine dashes, extending hundreds of miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan. The seized maps also did not mark the maritime boundary between China and Japan, authorities said. Additionally, the maps mislabelled 'Taiwan province', without specifying the exact nature of the mislabelling.
China sees self-ruled Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island. Meanwhile, Taiwan views itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, boasting its own constitution and democratically elected leaders.
Tensions in the South China Sea occasionally flare up—most recently involving ships from China and the Philippines in another encounter, with Manila accusing a Chinese ship of ramming and firing its water cannon at a Philippine vessel. However, Beijing claimed that the incident occurred after the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings and 'dangerously approached' the Chinese ship.
The Philippines and Vietnam are particularly sensitive regarding maps of the South China Sea. For example, the Barbie movie was banned in Vietnam and censored in the Philippines due to a depiction of the South China Sea map featuring the nine-dash line.
China Customs did not specify where the seized maps were intended to be sold. The confiscation of such 'problematic maps' is not uncommon; in March, customs officers seized 143 nautical charts with 'obvious errors' in national borders, and in August, two maps were confiscated due to a 'misdrawing' of the Tibetan border.
