Less than 750 kilometres from Taiwan and home to nearly 30,000 US troops, the Japanese islands of Okinawa would play a pivotal role should Beijing order the invasion of Taiwan.

Now, with propaganda and diplomatic outreach, Beijing is carrying out a “silent invasion” of the southernmost prefecture in Japan as it shapes the battlefield for a potential incursion.

Beijing is undoubtedly aware that US aircraft and warships would quickly threaten the northern flank of any invasion fleet, supported by Japanese forces, and it is aiming to neutralise that danger, analysts have said.

The Chinese assault, they say, is through the sowing of discord between residents and the national government by playing up economic problems in the nation’s poorest prefecture as well as historical grievances over the annexation of what was then the independent kingdom of Ryukyu in 1879.