In order to conscientiously implement the principles of the“Notice of the General Office of the State Council ont Transmitting the‘Suggestions of Strengthening the Work of Publicity and Education on Raising the Consciousness of National Territory and Supervision of the Map Market’Made by the State Surveying and Mapping Bureau and Other Ministries”(SC GO [2005] No. 5), further raise the consciousness of national territory and safeguard its dignity, as well as promote the orderly and healthy development of the map market in this Municipality, we hereby put forward the following suggestions on implementing the work of strengthening the publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and supervising the map market in this Municipality:
I. Reach a common understanding and continuously intensify our sense of responsibility and urgency on strengthening the work of publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and supervision of the map market
Accuracy of a country’s territory is a symbol of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The map, as the main manifestation of a country’s territory, is of a serious political nature, precise scientific nature and strict legal nature. In recent years, the work of rectifying and regulating the map market has been carried out in Shanghai in an all-round way according to the unified arrangements made by the State, and the citizens’consciousness of national territory has generally been raised and the map market has gradually turned for the better. However, from time to time, on maps that appeared in a variety of newspapers and periodicals, on TV and the Internet, in advertisements, stationery commodities, handicrafts, souvenirs, and tourist products, the boundaries of our country and our administrative regions are drawn incorrectly, some important islands, such as Diaoyu Islands, Chiwei Islands and the islands in South China Sea are left out, anamorphic maps are used at will, and maps are compiled and published in an illegal way. What’s more, such mistakes and illegal acts even appear in non-profit advertisements and textbooks and coaching materials for primary and middle school students, which not only infringes upon consumers’interests but also is detrimental to the State’s interests, thus causing bad political influence.
All relevant administrative departments shall fully recognize the importance of strengthening the publicity and education about the consciousness of national territory and supervising the map market and continuously intensify our sense of responsibility and urgency. Being responsible for the state sovereignty, national dignity and the immediate interests of the broad masses of the people, we must take effective measures to further raise citizens’consciousness of national territory and stop illegal acts in the map market according to law, so that the map market might develop in a healthy and orderly way.
II. Clarify responsibility and strengthen the leadership over the work of strengthening the publicity and education on the consciousness of national territory and the supervision of the map market
A national guidance group responsible for coordinating the work of strengthening the publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and supervision of the map market has been established jointly by the State Surveying and Mapping Bureau, Ministry of Publicity of Central Committee of CCP, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Commerce, General Administration of Customs, State Administration for Industry and Commerce and General Administration of Press and Publication. In the light of the actual circumstances of Shanghai Municipality and with the approval of the Municipal People’s Government, a guidance group responsible for coordinating the work of strengthening the publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and supervision of the map market in Shanghai has been established (hereinafter referred to as Coordination and Guidance Group) based on the former“Joint Meeting for Rectifying and Regulating the Map Market in Shanghai”, headed by the responsible person in the Shanghai Municipal Urban Planning Bureau with the director of the Shanghai Administrative Office of Surveying and Mapping as deputy. The members of the Coordination and Guidance Group come from the other 11 departments—Publicity Department of the Municipal Party Committee, Information Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai Municipal Economic Commission, Shanghai Municipal Foreign Economy and Trade Commission, Shanghai Customs, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Industry and Commerce and Shanghai Municipal Press and Publication Bureau. The chief task of the Coordination and Guidance Group is to organize, coordinate and direct the work of strengthening the publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and the supervision of the map market in this Municipality. An office, subordinate to the Coordination and Guidance Group (located in the Municipal Administrative Office of Surveying and Mapping) is in charge of the routine work and its members (liaison persons) shall be assigned by relevant administrative departments. All relevant administrative departments shall actively cooperate in the work in accordance with their respective functions.
All district/county people’s governments shall regard strengthening the publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and the supervision of the map market as a piece of important work in strengthening patriotic education and building a socialist harmonious society, and set up a coordination and guidance group consisting of members from relevant administrative departments to perfect a working mechanism of mutual cooperation and close coordination, so as to do a good job in education and supervision in their respective districts.
III. Grasp the key points and earnestly do a good job of publicity and education on raising the consciousness of national territory and supervising the map market
1. Bring into full play the role of news media in publicity and education
News media, such as radio broadcasting, TV, newspapers and periodicals and the Internet shall intensify their role in providing guidance, make use of all kinds of forms to organize in a planned way a variety of publicity and education activities, intensify supervision by public opinion, and bring to light“problem maps”as soon as they come out. At the same time, it is necessary to list publicity and education ont raising the consciousness of national territory as an important item in the activities of the day for publicizing“Law of People’s Republic of China on Surveying and Mapping”every year.
2. Do a good job in educating primary and middle school students on the consciousness of national territory
Educational departments shall list national territory, along with national flag, national emblem and national anthem, as an important item in patriotic and ideological and moral education for primary and middle school students. It is necessary to carry out a general check-up on both the maps of China and the maps of the world hung in primary and middle schools and used in their teaching, and stop using maps and map products without a number of examination and approval, and at the same time organize varied and colorful educational activities on the consciousness of national territory in the light of the actual study and life of primary and middle school students.
3. Conduct strict examination and verification on the compiling, producing, importing and exporting of maps
The municipal departments of surveying and mapping and the departments of press and publication shall strengthen their administration over the compilation, examination and verification, and publication of maps open to the public and maps on the Internet, strictly implement the provisions on map examination and verification and the map filing system, and strictly follow the state-promulgated standard way of mapping in using the graphics of the map of China. The municipal departments of surveying and mapping shall promulgate a sample standard Shanghai map according to relevant provisions to meet social needs.
While filing registration applications for map complication, the Municipal Industry and Commerce Department shall check and verify the qualification certificate for surveying and mapping issued by surveying and mapping administrative departments; and in supervising advertisements and the market where maps of China are involved, it is necessary to check and verify the“Certificate of Approval and Verification for Maps”issued by surveying and mapping departments or the number of verification printed on the copyright page. Cases of compilation and publication of maps without a relevant qualification certificate or approval, if discovered, shall be transferred in time to surveying and mapping departments, or to departments of press and publication to be handled.
The municipal foreign affairs departments shall attach great importance to the use of maps in foreign-related activities, and, in case of discovering maps with problems of a political nature, shall order whoever involved to stop using the map, and deal with the matter through consultation with the municipal departments of surveying and mapping.
The Municipal Economic Commission, the Municipal Foreign Finance and Trade Commission, and Shanghai Customs, etc. shall strengthen their examination, approval and administration over the processing trade involving map products, make a strict check on the processing trade and imports and exports involving map products, and strictly prohibit any production and trade activities related to illegal processing of map products. Any map products with problems of a political nature found in the supervision and administration over imports and exports shall be detained, and transferred to surveying and mapping departments to be handled.
All news media, publication units and production units shall enforce strict self-discipline, establish a job responsibility system, and assign special personnel to exam newspapers and periodicals, programs and products involving maps. Any maps without the verification and approval of surveying and mapping departments shall be“vetoed if there is one vote against them”.
4. Strengthen supervision and administration over the map market
The departments of planning, foreign affairs, surveying and mapping, industry and commerce, press and publication, and customs shall further strengthen their routine supervision and administration over the map market, following the principle of division of labor with individual responsibility and close cooperation, and vigorously carry out a special rectification of the map market and investigate and deal with according to law all illegal acts in compiling, publishing, dealing in and importing and exporting maps. In case any news media or publication or production unit is found to be involved with“problem maps”that seriously violate laws and regulations, their leaders and staff workers concerned shall be prosecuted for liability according to law; and any units that do not carry out serious rectification after being penalized for“problem maps”that seriously violate the laws and regulations, or still involves themselves with“problem maps”after repeated penalties shall be severely punished according to law.

Shanghai Municipal Urban Planning Administration
Department of Publicity of Shanghai Municipal Party Committee of CPC
Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government
Shanghai Municipal Education Commission
Shanghai Municipal Economic Commission
Shanghai Municipal Foreign Economy and Trade Commission
Shanghai Customs
Shanghai Municipal Administration of Industry and Commerce
Shanghai Municipal Press and Publication Bureau
Shanghai Administrative Office of Surveying and Mapping