Crystal Dike
Chinese customs officers in Shandong Province have seized 60,000 maps that allegedly “mislabelled” Taiwan and omitted key territories in the South China Sea, authorities said on Wednesday.
The confiscated maps, which were intended for export, reportedly failed to mark “important islands” and did not include the nine-dash line — Beijing’s demarcation that claims nearly the entire South China Sea. Customs officials said the omissions “endangered national unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” rendering the maps unfit for sale.
Maps and geographical depictions remain highly sensitive in China, especially regarding Taiwan, Tibet, and disputed maritime zones. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-governed island under its control.
Authorities added that the maps also failed to mark the maritime boundary between China and Japan. However, they did not specify the exact nature of the “mislabelling” of Taiwan.
The seizure in Shandong is one of the largest in recent years. In March, customs officers in Qingdao confiscated 143 nautical charts for containing “obvious errors” in national borders, while in August, Hebei officials seized two maps that allegedly “misdrew” the Tibetan border.
Tensions in the South China Sea have continued to flare, with the most recent incident occurring over the weekend when a Philippine government vessel accused a Chinese ship of ramming and firing water cannons. Beijing countered that the Philippine ship “dangerously approached” despite repeated warnings.
China’s strict scrutiny of maps has previously influenced pop culture and trade, with films like the Barbie movie banned in Vietnam and censored in the Philippines in 2023 for depicting Beijing’s nine-dash line.
Authorities did not disclose the destination market for the seized maps. Goods that fail customs inspection are typically destroyed.