A Taiwanese flag is pictured during National Day celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan, Oct. 10, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang
TAIPEI, April 12 – Taiwan’s military on Tuesday released for the first time a manual on civil defense, giving citizens a survival guide in a war scenario, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine draws attention to how the island is responding to China’s pressure should react.
China has never shied away from using force to seize control of Taiwan, and has increased military activity nearby over the past two years to pressure it to accept its claims to sovereignty.
Taiwan’s handbook details how to find bomb shelters via smartphone apps, water and food supplies, and tips for preparing first-aid kits for emergencies.
Planning for the handbook stems from Russia’s attack on its neighbor, which sparked debate about its impact on Taiwan and ways to improve preparedness, such as reforms to reservist training. Continue reading
“(We) provide information on how citizens should respond in a military crisis and possible impending disasters,” Liu Tai-yi, an official with the ministry’s All-out Defense Mobilization Unit, told an online news conference.
That would enable security precautions and help people survive, he added.
He said the handbook, which draws on similar guides from Sweden and Japan, would be further updated with localized information such as the locations of emergency shelters, hospitals and shops for everyday needs.
The guide uses comic strips and images with tips for surviving a military attack, such as how to distinguish air raid sirens and ways to protect yourself from missiles.
Taiwan has reported no sign of an imminent invasion planned by China, but has raised its alert level since the start of the war in Ukraine, which Moscow describes as a “military special operation.”
President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly vowed to defend the island and is leading a major modernization program to make her forces more mobile and less vulnerable to attack.
In addition to the plans presented last year to reform the training of reserve forces, the government is aiming to extend compulsory military service beyond four months. Continue reading
Reporting by Yimou Lee; Adaptation by Clarence Fernandez