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Customs authorities in China in the coastal province of Shandong have confiscated sixty thousand maps that "incorrectly labeled" the self-governed island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities claims as part of its territory.

The maps, customs representatives explained, 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 Philippines and Vietnamese authorities.

The "violating" maps, c intended for foreign distribution, cannot be sold because they "compromise national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of China, officials confirmed.

Cartographic materials are a delicate subject for China and its regional competitors for coral formations, maritime features and rock formations in the disputed maritime region.

Detailed Violations

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

The boundary consists of nine segments which extends numerous nautical miles south and east from its southern province of Hainan.

The seized maps also omitted the sea border between China and the Japanese archipelago, authorities said.

Taiwan Status

Officials stated the maps incorrectly labeled "the Taiwan region", without specifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

China considers self-governed Taiwan as its sovereign land and has not ruled out the use of military action to take the island. But Taiwanese authorities views itself as distinct from the mainland China, with its own constitution and popularly chosen officials.

Regional Tensions

Conflicts in the disputed maritime region sometimes intensify - in recent days over the weekend, when maritime craft from China and the Philippines figured in another incident.

Philippine authorities alleged a China's maritime craft of deliberately ramming and firing its water cannon at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Chinese officials stated the confrontation happened after the Philippine vessel ignored repeated warnings and "came too close to" the China's maritime craft.

Previous Precedents

The Philippines and Vietnamese authorities are also highly vigilant to representations of the disputed maritime region in maps.

The popular motion picture from last year was banned in the Vietnamese market and censored in the Philippines for showing a South China Sea map with the nine-segment boundary.

The statement from customs authorities did not indicate where the intercepted items were planned for distribution. China produces much of the international products, from holiday decorations to office supplies.

The confiscation of "non-compliant cartographic materials" by customs officials is frequently occurring - though the number of the maps intercepted in the Shandong region easily eclipses earlier interceptions. Products that do not meet standards at the customs are eliminated.

In spring, border authorities at an air transportation hub in the coastal city seized a shipment of 143 navigation charts that featured "clear mistakes" in the national borders.

In late summer, customs officers in the northern province seized a pair of "problematic maps" that, besides other problems, featured a "misdrawing" of the Tibet's boundaries.