A senior Taiwanese security official has said that China is relying on “hybrid warfare” and other grey-zone tactics to increase pressure on Taiwan, moving away from direct military confrontation and instead using coast guard deployments, research vessels and legal claims to pursue its objectives.Ho Cheng-hui, deputy secretary general of the Taiwan National Security Institute, said Beijing is placing greater emphasis on operations that fall below the threshold of war, combining sovereignty claims, maritime activities and propaganda campaigns to influence public opinion and exert diplomatic pressure on Taiwan and regional neighbors, according to news agency ANI.Speaking on the changing security environment, Ho said that as conflicts in Ukraine and Iran appear to be subsiding, China’s prospects for achieving its goals through full military force appear to be becoming less favourable.As a result, it is increasingly turning to alternative ways to challenge Taiwan and reshape regional dynamics.
Attention to maritime pressure and legal claims
Ho argued that Beijing is exploiting loopholes in international law and using legal tools to justify increasingly assertive behavior in disputed waters.They identified Taiwan’s exclusive economic zones, the median line in the Taiwan Strait, and the waters around Kinmen and Matsu as potential flashpoints for future Chinese activity.According to him, China’s coast guard has become a key instrument in this strategy, regularly operating near disputed maritime boundaries to create uncertainty and challenge existing norms.Ho said these actions are designed not only to strengthen Beijing’s territorial claims but also to shape international perceptions and complicate the responses of Taiwan and its allies.
Taiwan urged to adopt ‘full transparency’
Ho called on Taiwan to take a more proactive approach to countering Chinese activities, pointing to the Philippines’ policy of “full transparency” as a successful model.By publicly documenting and disclosing each Chinese maritime incursion, Manila has been able to challenge Beijing’s narratives and counter disinformation campaigns.Ho suggested Taiwan could adopt similar measures, including live-streaming coast guard patrols around its outer islands, to immediately refute false claims.He also advocated stronger cooperation between Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines through intelligence sharing, joint maritime enforcement efforts, and diplomatic coordination on fishing and resource disputes.
Increasing military activity around Taiwan
This warning comes amid ongoing Chinese military activity near Taiwan.Taiwan’s military will begin a five-day war preparation exercise on Monday, aimed at improving its ability to respond to a sudden escalation by China and strengthening its rapid transition from peacetime to wartime.Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said the exercises would focus on “realistic combat scenarios with real soldiers, on real terrain, in real time, using real equipment and through real implementation”, as reported by Reuters.Separately, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense said on Sunday it had detected two Chinese military aircraft flying around the island, eight naval vessels and four official ships.The ministry said the Taiwanese armed forces monitored the situation and responded appropriately.China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, while Taiwan has its own government, military and democratic system, making the island a constant source of tension in the region.