China's State Security-Led Taiwan Spy Drama 'Crossfire' Tops National Ratings on September 6 Debut

Crossfire, a contemporary Taiwan Strait espionage drama created under the direction of China's Ministry of State Security, is currently airing. Set against the 1995 visit to the United States by the late former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui and the Taiwan Strait crisis it triggered, the drama tells a cross-strait espionage story spanning 20 years and is billed as adapted from real events. It began airing on the evening of September 6, 2026, on China Central Television's drama channel and took the top national ratings spot on its first day.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council held a regular press conference on September 10, 2026, attended by spokesman Liang Wen-chieh. The same press conference also touched on the film The Penghu Sea Battle. Set against the 1683 historical event in which Shi Lang led the Fujian naval fleet to attack Penghu and defeat the naval forces of the Ming loyalist Zheng regime, the film involves the historical context of Qing forces taking Taiwan. It had been scheduled for release on July 25, 2026, but was not released as planned. Liang Wen-chieh also mentioned that Taiwan's Ministry of Culture had subsidized the filming of Zero Day Attack.