The study of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) gray zone activities
is quite diverse, but there are fewer case studies focusing on the CCP’s use of
gray zone actions in the East China Sea region and Japan’s responses. This is
one of the motivations for this research. This paper reviews relevant literature
on the CCP’s gray zone activities and organizes the purposes of the CCP’s gray
zone actions in the East China Sea region, as well as the reasons why the CCP
is vigorously defending its interests in the area. Key interests in the
Asia-Pacific region, including territorial disputes, resource competition, and
geopolitical issues, are of utmost importance in this context. The paper
explores the significance of the CCP’s geopolitical strategy, its methods and
tactics in the East China Sea gray zone, and compiles Japan’s responses to the
CCP’s gray zone activities in the East China Sea region.