Beijing's spy agency has made a TV drama about Taiwan, which Taipei reads as a sign of nervousness rather than confidence.

• China's Ministry of State Security funded a cross-strait espionage series that began airing on state broadcaster CCTV.
• The plot centers on the 1996 Taiwan Strait crisis and then-president Lee Teng-hui's trip to the US, and even mentions Taiwan's official name.
• Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council reads it as proof that Beijing is anxious about staying politically stable, despite its outward confidence.
• The series is aimed at national security education for the whole Chinese public, not at Taiwan specifically.
• Taipei admits Taiwan has not made films like this in years, and that a state-funded drama on the same theme drew heavy criticism and budget cuts at home.

Outlook: Expect more security-themed propaganda from Beijing, and renewed debate in Taiwan over funding its own public defense messaging.