Chinese-made globes irk Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Chinese-made globes depicting “misinformation” by reflecting Beijing’s claim to almost the entire South China Sea have been removed from bookstore shelves in the Philippines.

The globes feature a “nine-dash line”, long used by China to demonstrate its territorial claims over waters and islands that are disputed by other Asian nations, including the Philippines.

Bookshops selling the globes have agreed to withdraw them from sale after the Philippine government informed them of the controversy, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

“The DFA has been able to validate that educational globes which reflect China’s nine-dash lines encompassing the South China Sea are being retailed locally by establishments that are totally unaware about the maritime disputes between the Philippines and China,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesman Raul Hernandez said.

“The management of these establishments are proactively prepared to discuss with the DFA remedies to be able to address the misinformation contained in the educational globes. The Philippines asserts that China’s nine-dash line claim is an excessive claim in violation of international law.”

The plastic globes initially drew the ire of Filipino Facebook users, who brought them to the attention of the government and the media.

A spokeswoman for the National Book store, where the globes were on sale, said that it was willing to remove them from sale and had notified the supplier.