Zero Day Attack TV Series Envisions Fallout of Imagined Chinese Invasion

A new TV series titled Zero Day Attack, filmed in Taiwan, is set to dramatise the days leading up to an imagined invasion by Beijing. The show, which has already secured release in Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia, is part of a growing trend of media exploring the tensions between Taiwan and China. The series is a close representation of the reality that Taiwanese citizens have been living with, in the face of simmering threats from China, for years.

The show, inspired by the likes of Black Mirror, consists of 10 episodes, each directed by a different person. The premise of each chapter strikes close enough to Taiwan’s current reality to unsettle viewers who have been living with the threat of Beijing simmering closer and closer to the surface for years.

The series has sparked controversy, with the Chinese government condemning it as an attempt to stoke public fear and provoke war. The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson, Zhang Xiaogang, accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of 'peddling anxieties and attempting to provoke war.' Meanwhile, the show has prompted discussions about everything from the political motivations behind the series to what citizens would do if a war were really to break out.

Actor Janet Hsieh, who plays President-elect Wang Ming-Fang in the series' first episode, said, “You are able to capture little snippets of humanity in this potential moment of threat.” Hsieh, known for hosting the travel show Fun Taiwan, is taking on a new challenge as the character of a young, newly-elected president who comes to realise that the party—including her father—expects her to be a puppet.

The series also explores the myriad of ways China could squeeze Taiwan beyond military action, including connections many organised crime gangs have back to China and how temples are vulnerable to infiltration. One episode highlights the story of a local fisherman who, after a devastating typhoon disrupts his livelihood, becomes involved with people connected to infiltration activities.

Funded by the Taiwanese government’s culture ministry and a controversial and hawkish local billionaire, the series is lucky to have been made. More than half of the crew asked to be anonymous in the credits for fear of reprisals and impacts on their career, while some staff, including a director, pulled out of the production.

Taiwan, which has been under increasing pressure from China, has also beefed up its defence drills and is training citizens of all ages to be ready for any forceful attempts to make it join the People's Republic of China. The series is seen as a valuable opportunity to tear away the veil of 'don’t talk about politics' and confront many of the things people were taught to avoid or have instinctively shied away from as they grew up.

Despite the controversy, the series has generated a lot of hype, with a 17-minute trailer creating significant interest. Local residents have expressed that the atmosphere in the trailer was quite intense, giving them the sense that a cross-strait conflict might actually happen.

As Taiwan continues to navigate its complex relationship with China, the series serves as both a reflection of reality and a catalyst for discussion. Whether it will be seen as a warning or a provocation remains to be seen.