A manual on civil defence was issued for the first time by Taiwan’s military on Tuesday (April 12), providing civilians with survival advice in the event of a war scenario. The publication comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine draws attention to how the island should react to Chinese influence.
For more than two decades, China has refused to abandon the use of force to subdue Taiwan and has increased military activity in the region in order to pressure Taiwan into acknowledging its sovereignty claims.
A bomb shelter may be located via a smartphone app, as can water and food supplies, and there are instructions for putting together emergency first aid kits in Taiwan, according to the country’s guidebook.
It was planned before Russia launched its assault on its neighbour, which has sparked discussion about the consequences of the strike for Taiwan and methods to improve readiness, such as modifications to reserve training.
An official from the Ministry of National Defense’s All-Out Defence Mobilisation section said in an online press conference that they were offering information on how civilians should behave in a military crisis and probable calamities in the future.
As a result, he said, individuals would be better prepared for safety and would have a better chance of surviving.
He said that the guidebook, which is based on similar guidelines published by Sweden and Japan, will be further updated with localised information such as the locations of shelters, clinics, and stores for everyday necessities in the coming months.
For example, how to differentiate air raid sirens and how to take cover from missiles are discussed in the comic strips and illustrations that make up the manual.
Since the commencement of the war in Ukraine, which Moscow refers to as a “special military operation,” Taiwan has not detected any signs of an approaching Chinese invasion. However, the island has upped its alert level in response to the conflict.
In addition to pledging time and time again to defend the island, President Tsai Ing-wen is in charge of an extensive modernization effort to make the island’s troops more mobile and difficult to assault.
The government is considering extending obligatory military service beyond four months, in addition to the measures announced last year to revamp training for reserve troops.
