TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's intelligence agency has documented an intensifying pattern of military pressure from China that is taxing the island's defense capabilities, prompting renewed security assurances from Washington. The National Security Bureau (NSB, 國安局) detailed various evolving threats from Chinese military operations in a comprehensive assessment delivered to the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament). In response to these findings, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement on Wednesday (April 9) reaffirming America's awareness of Beijing's strategic maneuvers and emphasizing its continued commitment to countering actions that undermine regional stability through ongoing security assistance to Taiwan.
The intelligence briefing delivered to legislators documented a significant escalation in Beijing's military deterrence activities across the Taiwan Strait, the narrow waterway separating the island from mainland China. NSB officials cataloged multiple examples of what security experts classify as "gray zone" tactics — actions that fall short of conventional warfare but are designed to assert control and exhaust an adversary's resources. These incidents include recent damage to Taiwan's undersea communication infrastructure allegedly caused by Chinese fishing vessels and an expanding campaign involving atmospheric monitoring devices. According to the intelligence assessment, Chinese authorities had launched 76 weather balloons through March 19, with as many as 11 deployed in a single day, creating a substantial drain on Taiwan's monitoring and response capabilities.
The concept of these ambiguous conflict strategies has been previously addressed by prominent Taiwanese defense analyst Shen Ming-shi (沈明室), who articulated last year that gray zone operations encompass deliberately coercive and disruptive actions designed to achieve strategic national objectives while avoiding direct military confrontation. Responding to the current situation, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson emphasized Washington's ongoing commitment to Taiwan's security framework, affirming that the United States maintains its longstanding policy of providing essential defense materials and services specifically intended to bolster Taiwan's self-defense capabilities against such threats.
In written comments provided to Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA), the American diplomatic representative clarified that Washington's security assistance program serves dual strategic objectives: deterring potential armed conflict while simultaneously creating conditions conducive to peaceful resolution of cross-strait tensions. The NSB intelligence assessment further documented intensified unmanned aerial surveillance operations and heightened maritime presence, with Chinese Coast Guard (CCG, 中國海警) vessels conducting increasingly frequent patrols in waters surrounding Taiwan. The State Department's communication underscored the American position that establishing and maintaining credible deterrence capabilities represents an essential foundation for preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait region, while reaffirming ongoing diplomatic and security initiatives aimed at conflict prevention.
