August1 2026

It is not hard to see that as China's sovereignty protection and maritime governance become routine, some people in the US are growing anxious. Recently, several US lawmakers clamored to introduce legislative proposals to purportedly counter China's "activities through grey-zone tactics" in the Taiwan Straits and the Asia-Pacific region. This is not an isolated voice. Just last month, the US House Select Committee on China floated the phrase "grey-zone tactics," claiming that China's "intimidation" would only reinforce "the US' convictions" to stand with Taiwan island.

The so-called "grey-zone tactics" refer to the integrated use of diplomatic, economic, informational, and quasi-military means to advance national interests short of open warfare. Ironically, this concept is "Made in USA" through and through. It is nothing more than a slick repackaging of the shady, underhanded activities Washington employs to interfere in other nations' internal affairs - a concept for which the US military even published an official white paper back in 2015. Now, certain US lawmakers are weaponizing this term against China's lawful actions, accusing the country of "seeking regional hegemony." Does this not precisely illuminate what the US, as the primary producer and practitioner of this concept, has been doing all along in the Asia-Pacific?

There is simply no "grey zone" under the one-China principle. The fact that the island of Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory is not only a consensus of the international community, but also a basic norm governing international relations. In the waters east of China's Taiwan island, whether it is routine law-enforcement patrols conducted by the China Coast Guard (CCG), the marine environment survey by the Ministry of Natural Resources, or the fishery resource investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, they all represent exercises of national sovereignty in accordance with the law.

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https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202608/1367298.shtml