Skip to main content
International

Taiwan issues war survival handbook as China threat grows


Taiwan’s military released a handbook on civil defense for the first time this week, advising civilians on how to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion. The book includes information on where to find bomb shelters and how to stockpile emergency supplies.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control and has stepped up military activities nearby in the past two years. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also heightened fears that China might one day follow through on threats to annex its smaller neighbor.

Planning for the handbook pre-dates Russia’s attack, which has prompted debate on its implications for Taiwan and ways to boost preparedness, such as reforms to the training of reservists.

The island is also considering extending its compulsory military service to 12 months. Currently, all eligible males have to undergo a four-month basic military training.

“(We) are providing information on how citizens should react in a military crisis and possible disasters to come,” Liu Tai-yi, an official of the ministry’s All-out Defence Mobilisation unit, told an online news conference.

He said the handbook, which draws from similar guides issued by Sweden and Japan, would be further updated with localized information such as the sites of shelters, hospitals and shops for daily needs.

The handbook uses comic strips and pictures with tips to survive a military attack, such as how to distinguish air raid sirens and ways to shelter from missiles.

Taiwan has not reported any sign of an imminent invasion planned by China but has raised its alert level since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”.

Taiwan remains massively outgunned by China but the mountainous island would be a formidable challenge for any military to conquer.

Unlike South Korea, the Philippines and Japan, Taiwan is not a treaty ally with the United States.

THIS IS A HANDBOOK FOR SURVIVAL

IT’S WHAT TAIWAN IS GIVING OUT TO ITS PEOPLE AS UKRAINE FIGHTS OFF RUSSIA’S INVASION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

THE ISLAND DOESN’T WANT CHINA GETTING ANY IDEAS – SO THEY’VE PUBLISHED A NATIONAL DEFENSE MANUAL WITH SURVIVAL TACTICS IN CASE CHINA DECIDES TO INVADE THEM NEXT

WITH SCANNABLE QR CODES THE DOCUMENT DETAILS HOW TO FIND BOMB SHELTERS, SUPPLIES AND FIRST AID KITS

OTHER QR CODES TEACH CITIZENS HOW TO SURVIVE IF WATER SUPPLIES OR ELECTRICITY GET CUT OFF

IT’S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – AND EVEN THOUGH TAIWAN SAYS THERE’S NO ACTIVE THREAT OF A CHINESE INVASION  – CHINA’S AMBASSADOR SAID THIS IN JANUARY

“IF THE TAIWANESE AUTHORITIES, EMBOLDENED BY THE UNITED STATES, KEEP GOING DOWN THE ROAD FOR INDEPENDENCE, IT MOST LIKELY WILL INVOLVE CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES, IN A MILITARY CONFLICT”

RIGHT NOW TAIWAN SAYS ITS INDEPENDENT – BUT ONLY 15 NATIONS RECOGNIZE THAT. 

AND CHINA? WELL THEY SAY TAIWAN HAS NEVER BEEN A COUNTRY AND NEVER WILL BE..

WITH THAT – DO YOU THINK THOSE SURVIVAL HANDBOOKS WILL COME IN HANDY? LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW