First the coast guard, then an ICBM: China tests new, long-term ways to hold off rivals in Asia

China is operationalizing a sustained grey-zone strategy in the Taiwan strait using coast guard vessels to normalize its presence and erode allied response options, while simultaneously conducting SLBM tests demonstrating power projection into the Pacific. This directly threatens Australia's ability to maintain the status quo and signals China's preference for coercive consolidation of the Taiwan dispute through persistent non-military means, which erodes deterrence and alliance cohesion in the Indo-Pacific.