China’s Grey Zone Activities and Taiwan’s Responses

Lessons for India

Abstract

A new phrase has recently been added to military language. The term “grey zone” has come to represent the uneasy ties between various Indo-Pacific countries and China. Despite being equally baffling and unnerving, this new type of strained inter-state relations thankfully avoids war. However, due to the unique nature of these activities, the armed forces are significantly involved in addressing the issues they create. Although military actions are almost nonexistent, combat forces can be found in grey zones.

This paper examines the grey zone primarily at the strategic level and from a defense standpoint. It explores what a “grey zone” is and, just as importantly, what it is not, in order to draw some conclusions that will be helpful when deciding how to respond. The second half explores China’s activities in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, as well as Taiwan’s responses. The final section discusses China’s actions in the Indian Ocean and how they differ significantly from those it conducts in the Western Pacific.