The Chinese government has launched a nationwide investigation after illustrations described as "sexually suggestive" and pro-American were discovered in school textbooks.
The drawings were found in maths textbooks which have been used across China's primary schools for nearly a decade.
The illustrations have sparked widespread outcry amongst China's internet community, with many condemning what they deem to be racist and sexualised depictions of Chinese children.
In one illustration of children playing a game, a boy has his hands placed on a girl's chest, while another pulls on a girl's skirt. In a separate image, a girl's underwear is exposed as she jumps over a skipping rope.
The images have also been labelled as "pro-United States" by some online because they show several children wearing clothes patterned with stars and stripes and in the colours of the US flag, CNN reported.
In addition, an illustration featuring a Chinese flag with an incorrect design has been labelled "anti-China".
This has given rise to allegations against the creators of the drawings, with illustrator Wu Yong - whose studio designed the pictures - even being accused of working as a spy for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
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Many internet users have expressed horror that the state-owned People's Education Press allowed the images to be published and have blamed "Western cultural infiltration" and "foreign forces" for the illustrations.
The books have reportedly been in circulation since 2013.
In response to the public outrage, the People's Education Press said on Thursday that it was recalling all the textbooks and would redesign the illustrations.
China's Education Ministry has also ordered the publisher to "rectify and reform" its publications and ensure that the revised versions are in circulation by the autumn school term.
It further demanded a "thorough inspection" of all textbooks to make sure they "adhere to correct political directions and values, promote outstanding Chinese culture and conform to the aesthetic tastes of the public".
Under President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government has prohibited all foreign teaching materials in a bid to oust any educational influence from other nations. Xi says all teaching materials "must reflect the will of the party and the country".
