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Customs authorities in China in eastern Shandong province have intercepted 60,000 maps that "mislabelled" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Chinese authorities claims as part of its sovereign land.

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

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

Cartographic materials are a sensitive topic for China and its regional competitors for reefs, maritime features and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Specific Violations

China Customs said that the maps also omitted the nine-dash line, which defines China's territorial assertion over almost the whole South China Sea.

The line comprises nine segments which extends numerous nautical miles southeastward from its most southerly province of Hainan.

The confiscated materials also failed to indicate the oceanic demarcation between China and the Japanese archipelago, customs representatives stated.

Cross-Strait Situation

Authorities said the maps mislabelled "the Taiwan region", without specifying what exactly the mislabelling was.

China views self-ruled Taiwan as its sovereign land and has not ruled out the use of military action to take the island. But Taiwan considers itself distinct from the mainland China, with its own governing document and elected leadership.

Geopolitical Tensions

Conflicts in the disputed maritime region sometimes intensify - in recent days over the weekend, when vessels from China and the Philippine government figured in another encounter.

Philippine authorities alleged a China's maritime craft of purposefully hitting and firing its water cannon at a official Philippine ship.

But Beijing claimed the incident happened after the vessel from the Philippines ignored repeated warnings and "came too close to" the Chinese ship.

Historical Similar Cases

The Philippines and Vietnamese authorities are also especially concerned to representations of the South China Sea in maps.

The Barbie movie from last year was banned in Vietnam and edited in the Philippine release for showing a South China Sea map with the controversial demarcation.

The announcement from customs authorities did not indicate where the intercepted items were destined for sale. The country provides much of the global merchandise, from Christmas lights to office supplies.

The confiscation of "violating charts" by China's border authorities is frequently occurring - though the quantity of the maps confiscated in Shandong substantially surpasses previous confiscations. Products that fail inspection at the border control are disposed of.

In March, border authorities at an airport in Qingdao seized a batch of 143 navigation charts that contained "clear mistakes" in the territorial boundaries.

In August, border authorities in Hebei province intercepted two "problematic maps" that, besides other problems, featured a "improper representation" of the the Tibet region's limits.