Mike Baker

The mob always eats its own.

Only 120 members, which is about 90% of those originally appointed, attended the CCDI conclave that ended this week, marking the lowest participation rate since 1986, leading to assumptions that their absence points to Xi's purge.

Still, Xi closed the conclave with a warning that underscored the coercive nature of his campaign.

Quote, we must unswervingly maintain a high-pressure posture, vowing that corruption, graft, and what he labeled evil would be eradicated so targeted officials have, quote, no place to hide.

Okay, I want to turn to Taiwan, where we've seen China probe the democratic island's defenses repeatedly.

But over the weekend, Beijing escalated that pressure and for the first time sent a military drone into Taiwanese-controlled airspace.

Here's how it unfolded.

Taiwan's defense ministry says a Chinese surveillance drone slipped into the airspace over Pratus Island and remained there for about four minutes.

Now, Pratus, which is also known in China as Dongsha, is a Taiwan-controlled atoll in the South China Sea.

And this is where China's intent becomes clear.

A Taiwanese national security official identified the aircraft as a Beijing Soaring Dragon, a high-altitude military surveillance drone.

According to Taiwan's defense ministry, it was flying above the range of Taipei's air defense systems.

In practical terms, that meant that Type A could broadcast warnings over radio and television channels, but it couldn't shoot the drone down, even if it wanted to.

That constraint is not accidental.

It's Beijing testing the island's defense reaction.

An associate director at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, which is a research center focused on countering challenges posed by Beijing, said, quote, China has found another soft spot.

They can repeat this to demonstrate that they can enter Taiwan airspace with impunity.

The concern now is that Beijing could gradually fly lower and lower, putting Taiwan in a bind.

If Taipei eventually does shoot down a drone, China could then accuse the island of escalating the situation, creating a narrative that it could use to justify an invasion.

As we've discussed here on the PDB, Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory, of course, and has repeatedly threatened to annex the island by force if Taipei refuses to submit to its control.