Taiwan’s 23 million inhabitants will receive a booklet this week on how to survive natural disasters and emergencies, as well as an invasion by China, the island’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday.
The handbook, unveiled in September, includes guidelines on what supplies to stockpile in households and put in go-bags, and instructions on what to do when encountering enemy soldiers.
In the event of a military invasion, “any claims that the government has surrendered or that the nation has been defeated is false,” the booklet says.
Taiwan is a self-ruling democracy but is viewed by China as its own territory. Beijing has vowed to seize it one day – by force if necessary. Under leader Xi Jinping, China has intensified military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan, and regularly sends fighter jets and warships around the island.
Taiwan’s book comes after Sweden and Finland earlier this year updated guidance to their citizens on how to survive war, as NATO allies bolster defense measures against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict.
“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 in a press briefing.
The handbook recommends keeping a one-week supply of household supplies including noodles and rice, and leaving go-bag equipped with a compact sleeping bag by the door in case of emergencies.
It also outlined the types of military threats Taiwan could face, from sabotage of undersea cables, unilateral declaration of no-fly zones, to an all-out invasion.
As civilians may have difficulty telling the difference between friends and foes, the handbook advises civilians to leave as quickly as possible if they spot military activity in the vicinity. It also asks citizens not to take photos and videos of Taiwan’s own military movements to ensure operational integrity.
The handbook also cautions against cybersecurity risks of Chinese-made mobile applications like DeepSeek, WeChat, TikTok and RedNote, and potential privacy intrusions by some Chinese-brand devices with cameras, stating that they could “even be used by the enemy in a crisis.”
The Defense Ministry said it will print around 11 million copies – including 105,000 English versions for foreign consulates, media and residents in Taiwan – to reach around 9.8 million households in Taiwan.
Distribution of the booklet will begin this week and wrap up by January next year, the ministry added.
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