China seizes 60,000 ‘problematic’ maps for mislabeling Taiwan, omitting South China Sea islands

Chinese customs officials in the eastern province of Shandong have confiscated 60,000 maps that authorities said “mislabelled Taiwan” and “omitted important islands” in the South China Sea, both regions Beijing considers part of its sovereign territory.

The maps, which were meant for export, were deemed “problematic” and banned from sale because they “endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to Chinese authorities.

Customs officials said the seized maps failed to include the nine-dash line, a series of markings China uses to claim nearly the entire South China Sea. The line, which extends hundreds of miles south and east from the southern province of Hainan, is a cornerstone of Beijing’s territorial claims and a major source of regional tension.

The map