Taiwan releases handbook on prepping for natural disasters, Chinese invasion
What's the story
Taiwan's Defense Ministry will begin distributing a survival handbook to its 23 million residents this week. The booklet provides guidelines on how to prepare for natural disasters and military invasions, particularly from China. It includes advice on what supplies to stockpile at home and in go-bags, as well as instructions for interacting with enemy soldiers.
Invasion preparedness
Handbook emphasizes resilience amid potential invasion
The handbook stresses that during a military invasion, "any claims that the government has surrendered or that the nation has been defeated is false." Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, is claimed by China as its territory. Beijing has vowed to take control of Taiwan, if necessary by force, and under President Xi Jinping's leadership, China has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure on Taiwan.
Global context
Handbook distribution coincides with global security concerns
"Given natural disasters such as typhoons and the military threat from China, we want our people to understand that the more prepared we are, the safer we will be," director of the Taiwanese military's All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency Shen Wei-chih said. The Taiwanese Defense Ministry plans to print around 11 million copies of the booklet, including 105,000 English versions for foreign consulates and media. Distribution will start this week and is expected to be completed by January next year.
Safety measures
Handbook advises on supplies, cybersecurity risks
The handbook advises residents to stockpile a week's worth of supplies, such as noodles and rice. It also recommends keeping a go-bag with a compact sleeping bag ready for emergencies. Civilians are advised to leave areas where they spot military activity and not photograph Taiwan's military movements for operational security. The booklet also warns against cybersecurity risks from Chinese-made apps like DeepSeek, WeChat, TikTok and RedNote.