Taiwan warns Xi will boost covert 'gray zone' tactics in a fourth term
Mainland Affairs Council minister Chiu Chui-cheng warned that President Xi Jinping is likely to intensify gray-zone actions around Taiwan during his fourth term, heightening regional tensions.
Speaking at the Chungshan Youth Academic Conference, Mainland Affairs Council minister Chiu Chui-cheng warned that President Xi Jinping, poised for a fourth five-year term at the next Party Congress, will likely intensify "gray zone" activities to broaden China's reach around Taiwan. Chiu described three extreme political trends in China over the past ten years: centralising power in one leader, promoting aggressive nationalism, and framing Taiwan's takeover as a historic mission.
He accused Beijing of forging a new form of totalitarianism while pushing the "one country, two systems" model and seeking wider international recognition of its territorial claims. The minister also highlighted China's distortion of Sun Yat-sen's legacy in upcoming commemorations and cautioned Taiwanese against becoming tools of Beijing's united-front campaigns. He called for adherence to regulations in cross-strait exchanges and reaffirmed Taiwan's commitment to its democratic path.
Why it matters
Escalating gray-zone tactics could destabilize Taiwan Strait security and affect regional peace.
How this story developed
- Sep 27 India's trade minister set to meet USTR Greer amid US tariff threats
- Sep 28 The two leaders met at a high-profile summit and confirmed two more meetings later this year, extending the existing agreement that limits tariffs and rare-earth restrictions. Analysts note that despite the extension, both sides remain locked in fierce competition over trade, technology, Taiwan and defense. US officials view the short-term extension as a compliance measure, expressing doubts about China’s full adherence to earlier commitments.
- Sep 29 The bilateral trade truce has been extended.
- Oct 3 USTR Jamieson Greer said the India‑US trade talks are progressing but a final agreement remains distant.
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