Taiwan on Friday protested after China started issuing new passports with maps that feature two of the island's most famous scenic spots.

Taiwan's head Ma Ying-jeou urged China not to "unilaterally damage the status quo of the hard-fought stability", his office said in a statement.

China's new computer-chipped passports are equipped with a map that covers Sun Moon Lake and Cingshui Cliff, both popular tourist destinations on Taiwan.

China's new passports also provoked protests by the Philippines and Vietnam for showing various islands in the East Sea as being in its territory.

Beijing attempted Thursday to downplay the diplomatic fallout from the recently introduced passports, with a foreign ministry spokeswoman saying the maps were "not made to target any specific country".