PRC Gray-Zone Pressure Intensifies: Pratas Airspace Probe, Maritime Militia Signaling, and Decapitation-Strike Messaging
The January 23, 2026 ISW–AEI update describes an escalation in PRC gray-zone activity, including a reported PLA drone flight through Taiwan’s territorial airspace over Pratas and coordinated fishing-vessel formations consistent with maritime militia signaling. The report also highlights PLA leadership-targeting training and Taiwan’s countermeasures, alongside a major US–Taiwan trade deal tied to semiconductor investment and ongoing debate over the resilience of Taiwan’s “silicon shield.”