China's final warning

Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States during the 1950s and 1960s were strained because of the Taiwan Strait issues. American military fighter jets regularly patrolled the Taiwan Strait, which led to formal protests being regularly lodged by the Chinese Communist Party in the form of a "final warning", for their fighter maneuvers in the strait. However, no real consequences were given for ignoring the "final warnings".[2]

The People's Republic of China released its first "final warning" to the United States for their reconnaissance flights on 7 September 1958, during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. At the time, the United States considered the Republic of China the sole legitimate representative of China and conducted reconnaissance flights in waters controlled by the People's Republic of China. China would then record such incidents, and issue a "final warning" through diplomatic channels for each incident that occurred. More than 900 Chinese "final warnings" had been issued by the end of 1964.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the proverb has retained its use as a common metaphorical catchphrase within the post-Soviet countries, especially in Estonia.[3][4]

The term was popularized in English-language social media during the lead-up to Nancy Pelosi's 2022 visit to Taiwan to refer to China's threats which are said to be superficially strong, but actually weak.[5][6]

• The Boy Who Cried Wolf – Aesop's fable
• Crossing the Rubicon – Idiom to mean a point of no return
• Hurting the feelings of the Chinese people – Chinese political catchphrase
• Paper tiger – Chinese phrase for an ineffectual threat
• Point of no return – Point beyond which turning back is no longer possible
• Red line (phrase) – Figurative phrase meaning a limit
• Red lines in the Russo-Ukrainian War – Veiled threats of engagement
• Ultimatum – Final demand backed up by a threat