00:00The People's Republic of China really doesn't want the United States or its influence in the
00:09Indo-Pacific anymore. In fact, the PRC wants to make sure it's the dominant force in the region,
00:17regardless of what that means for peace, stability, or free and open maritime trade.
00:23The PRC is using what are known as gray zone tactics to help with that goal.
00:29So, what the heck does that mean, and can it be stopped?
00:35Okay, in broad terms, gray zone tactics are things a country might do to assert power and influence,
00:45but the actions stop just shy of actual armed conflict. Researchers from the Rand Corporation
00:52found China used almost 80 different types of gray zone tactics against its neighbors in the last
00:58decade. What are some examples? Well, there is everything from cyber attacks and propaganda
01:04campaigns, like those launched on social media sites to try and influence public opinion and
01:10elections in Taiwan. The PRC also coordinates efforts to overfish certain parts of the ocean
01:17as a way to hurt a nation economically and disrupt its food supply, like in the waters around Taiwan or
01:24near the Philippines. China's boats are bigger, they catch more fish, and leave depleted waters behind.
01:30The PRC is also building new islands in contested waters and putting airfields on them. It's even
01:37using the Chinese Coast Guard and a fleet of maritime militia to stop Filipino vessels from performing
01:44routine patrols and resupply missions in the Philippines' own territorial waters.
01:50But after Nancy Pelosi went to Taiwan in 2022, China really ramped up its gray zone game, which included
01:58encircling the self-governing island in symbolic blockades. China sees Taiwan as its own, and China's
02:05president says he's committed to taking the island by force if necessary. Which brings us to our next
02:12question, why is China using these tactics? If China is constantly in an area it's not supposed to be,
02:21but not necessarily causing too much of a ruckus, the PRC can wear down the resolve and resources of its neighbors,
02:29which is basically what we saw with Nauru, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands all
02:35recently signing security agreements with Beijing. The dual-use facilities China is building, like ports
02:42and airfields, can be used for both commercial or military activity, so in a way China is pre-positioning
02:50resources and equipment. And by using state-owned paramilitary forces like the Chinese Coast Guard
02:56or maritime militia to conduct gray zone operations, the PRC is blurring the line between what can be
03:03considered civilian or military activity. Not to mention, Chinese law means just about every craft
03:10or vessel on the water can be used by the government for military activities. In the case of Taiwan,
03:18China is trying to normalize the near-constant presence of Chinese ships and planes around the
03:24island. And those planes and boats often cross into Taiwan's territory, sometimes performing provocative
03:31maneuvers. That way, when and if the order to attack Taiwan comes, the PRC can utilize the element of
03:40surprise. So at this point you might be asking yourself what's being done to stop China and its
03:46operations in the gray zone. Well, the Center for Strategic and International Studies has some recommendations.
03:53First, it says deterrence needs to be re-established, and that starts with data. The US can work with
04:00partners and allies in the region to better detect gray zone activities and identify the parties
04:07responsible for those actions. Once the intelligence community picks up on what are called the
04:13behavioral signatures left behind by gray zone actors, it can release that information publicly,
04:20essentially shining a light for the world to see the depths of the gray zone. Finally, the CSIS says the
04:27United States and its allies need to show their resolve by responding swiftly to gray zone operations.
04:35That could mean creating new laws and using a joint maritime task force to enforce those laws,
04:41up to and including interdicting vessels identified as gray zone actors. The CSIS says keeping responses in
04:50the realm of law enforcement and not employing military forces may also keep the current situation from
04:58spiraling into a full-on kinetic conflict, or at least prevent it a little while longer.
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