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 maps also did not depict the maritime boundary between China and Japan, officials added. China views Taiwan as an inseparable part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification. Taiwan, however, maintains its own democratically elected government, constitution, and military, and sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland.
The South China Sea remains one of the most contested regions in Asia. China’s sweeping maritime claims overlap with those of several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Tensions have escalated again in recent weeks, most recently when Manila accused a Chinese vessel of ramming and firing water cannons at a Philippine government ship. Beijing rejected the claim, alleging the Philippine vessel “dangerously approached” despite multiple warnings.
In March, 143 nautical charts were seized in Qingdao for showing “obvious errors” in national borders, while authorities in Hebei province confiscated two maps in August for “misdrawing” the Tibetan border.
Experts say the confiscation underscores Beijing’s determination to control how its territorial boundaries are portrayed both domestically and internationally. “The focus on maps demonstrates the symbolic importance China places on its territorial claims,” a regional analyst told CNN.
“It’s not just about controlling land, but also the narrative that defines it.” Analysts believe the move reflects China’s broader strategy to assert sovereignty through cartography, education, and trade regulation.
In a region already fraught with maritime disputes, even minor cartographic deviations can carry major political weight , reinforcing how deeply maps have become instruments of power and diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.
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