TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwanese television series “Zero Day,” which depicts a hypothetical invasion of Taiwan by the Chinese military, will premiere at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on May 13.
Former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who is visiting partner nations in Europe, is scheduled to attend the summit and give a keynote speech on defending Taiwan’s freedom, according to the agenda. On Tuesday evening, one episode of the 10-part series will be screened.
The showrunner for the series, Cheng Hsin-mei (鄭心媚), will introduce the series and join a panel discussion on the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait. She will be joined by actress Janet Hsieh (謝怡芬).
“Zero Day” was produced in Taiwan with the assistance of the Ministry of National Defense. Set in 2028 after Taiwan’s next presidential election, each episode shows different aspects of Taiwan’s response and the lives of average people during a hypothetical blockade, attack, and invasion by communist Chinese forces.
The episodes were each filmed by different directors, each introducing a different perspective on the invasion as it unfolds. The production budget was reported to be NT$230 billion (US$7 million).
The title “Zero Day” is a cybersecurity term that refers to the first day a digital system becomes the target for an attack. Cheng Hsin-mei was inspired to create the show after the war between Ukraine and Russia began, with Cheng noting parallels in Taiwan’s situation, per Counteroffensive.
It was previously reported that the series would begin streaming online this month. The platform and release date will likely be announced in Copenhagen next week.
