Makers of Taiwanese drama set around an invasion fear backlash from China

A Chinese warplane goes missing near Taiwan. China sends swarms of military boats and planes for a blockade as Taiwan goes on a war footing. Panic ensues on the streets of Taipei.

TAIPEI - A Chinese warplane goes missing near Taiwan. China sends swarms of military boats and planes for a blockade as Taiwan goes on a war footing. Panic ensues on the streets of Taipei.

The premise of Zero Day, a new Taiwan TV drama envisioning a Chinese invasion, is a topic that has for years been considered too sensitive for many Taiwanese filmmakers and television show creators, who fear losing access to the lucrative Chinese entertainment market.

But as China steps up military threats, including the large massing of naval forces last week and daily military activities close to the island, the drama confronts the fear by setting the 10-episode series around a Chinese invasion.

"We thought there is freedom in Taiwan, but in film and TV production, we are restricted by China on many levels," said Ms Cheng Hsin-mei, the showrunner on Zero Day.

China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory over the objections of the government in Taipei, is a much larger market for film and TV.