Preview Video of Taiwanese TV Series Zero Day Sparks Anxiety About a Chinese Invasion

The trailer for a government-backed Taiwanese TV show depicting a Chinese invasion prompted an outburst of anxiety on the island, where authorities are trying to bolster defenses.  

While the People’s Liberation Army in China regularly publishes propaganda portraying attacks on the self-ruled democracy that Beijing claims as its own, the forthcoming Zero Day series was partly funded by authorities in Taipei.

Taiwanese authorities have ramped up efforts to fortify defenses against rising Chinese aggression, including by extending compulsory military service from four to 12 months. Despite that, security analysts generally see the global chip hub as ill-prepared to deter or resist China, citing Taiwan’s shrinking military and number of voluntary soldiers.

“I burst into tears watching this. I feel heavy-hearted, and it’s scary. But this is what we need to face as Taiwanese,” wrote one YouTube user. “We need to make the best preparation for the worst scenario,” another commenter said.

The prospect of a cross-strait conflict has been present for decades, but is seldom addressed directly in Taiwanese TV shows, partly due to the topic’s sensitivity and risk of spooking investors in the global chip hub. The trailer’s release this week coincided with annual drills to prepare for an invasion by China.

“The threat is not something new, but we have been avoiding talking about it due to its sensitivity,” said Cheng Shin-mei, the producer of the series.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump this month declared Taiwan “should pay” for US protection against Chinese military threats, in an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek. Casting doubt over Washington’s commitment to defend the island of some 23 million people from Beijing, he asked: “Why are we doing this?” 

The nearly 18-minute-long trailer depicts a fictitious ploy by the PLA to mount a naval blockade of Taiwan in the guise of a search and rescue mission. It also shows cyberattacks disrupting infrastructure and sabotage by Beijing’s collaborators in the prelude to war.

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Funding for the 10-part series came from Taiwan’s cultural ministry and Robert Tsao, founder and former chairman of United Microelectronics Corporation, Taiwan’s second-largest contract chipmaker, according to a CNA report. Tsao has been a vocal advocate of better defense in recent years and in 2022 pledged NT$1 billion ($30.5 million) to help train 3 million civilian soldiers.

Cheng said her team is in talks with a major international streaming platform to release the series, hoping to draw more global attention to the threats Taiwan faces from China. She declined to publicly name the company.

Several actors and directors dropped out of the project due to fears of offending China, Cheng said. “They usually have to sign contracts with clauses that forbid them to be involved in politically sensitive topics, and violators would need to pay for any loss caused by that.”