Chinese leader Xi Jinping has signed a directive allowing non-war uses of the military, prompting concerns that Beijing may be gearing up to invade the democratic island of Taiwan under the guise of a "special operation" not classified as war.[…] "[It] provides a legal basis for non-war military operation," it said. Among the six-chapter document's stated aims are "maintaining national sovereignty ... regional stability and regulating the organization and implementation of non-war military operations," it said.
Source: wiktionary