Inside China’s gray zone activities: How Beijing is salami slicing its way to influence

China is employing a ‘salami slicing’ strategy, taking incremental steps across military, economic, and technological domains to alter realities without triggering conflict. This ‘gray zone’ approach, evident in the South China Sea and beyond, bypasses international law and exploits rivals’ hesitation. The cumulative effect creates new facts on the ground, challenging the existing order.