Taiwan issued its first war handbook advising citizens how to respond in the wake of an attack, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine raises fears of a Chinese incursion at home.
The document released Tuesday by the Ministry of National Defense provides QR codes for locating air raid shelters, a list of items to stockpile for wartime and mobilization information for military reserves.
“The pamphlet simulates wartime situations and guides the public in various scenarios, so they can learn to adopt the necessary response measures,” Liu Tai-yi, director at the All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency’s materials division, said in an online briefing, unveiling the pamphlet. The 28-page document is available for download, and regional governments are encouraged to update it with localized information.
President Tsai Ing-wen’s government launched the mobilization agency in December to bolster resilience against national security threats, as China ramps up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on the island. Last year, Beijing more than doubled its military forays into Taiwan’s air-defense identification zone to around 950, according to official data compiled by Bloomberg.
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Communist Party considers Taiwan lost territory that it must reclaim by force if necessary, despite never having ruled the island of 23.5 million people. The position has become a flashpoint in tensions with the U.S.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has undermined confidence that world powers would be able to prevent a crisis from similarly erupting over the island.
Reports that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was scheduled to visit Taiwan last week as part of a trip to Asia, triggered a diplomatic protest from Beijing, with its foreign ministry saying such a trip would be met with “strong measures.” Pelosi’s office declined to say whether she was traveling to Taipei, and the Asia trip was later canceled after she tested positive for Covid.
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