China revises rules to curb flawed maps

A revised regulation on the approval of published maps will take effect on Jan. 1, 2018, said the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation (NASMG) Tuesday.

According to the document, maps and products that include maps should be subject to government approval before being published or sold, including those to be published, sold or displayed abroad.

The regulation aims to curb circulation of flawed maps, said Min Yiren, deputy director of the NASMG, noting that on some maps, China's territory is drawn incorrectly, while others omit certain islands or include confidential information.

"Flawed maps have undermined national sovereignty, security and interests and have had a vile impact," Min said.

The revised rules also simplify the documents and certificates required for approval and list maps that may be exempt from approval.

Maps of neighborhoods, tourist sites and public transportation services do not need approval, nor do products that use government-published maps.

According to Min, about 30,000 maps and relevant products were approved between 2012 and June of this year.