On Wednesday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck Taiwan. The epicenter was 25km south-southest of Hualien County at a depth of 15.5km. It was the largest earthquake to hit the country in 25 years and triggered tsunami warnings in Japan and the Philippines.
The earthquake caused significant damage, and loss of life and injuries, but the extent was relatively controlled. The international community can learn valuable lessons from Taiwan’s efforts in disaster prevention and management. Additionally, the outpouring of international solidarity and support demonstrates that humanity extends beyond national boundaries.
Taiwan, situated in a disaster-prone region, has developed a comprehensive disaster response system emphasizing risk mitigation, preparedness and recovery. There are several key takeaways from Taiwan’s response to the earthquake. A critical component is having an effective early warning system that can minimize casualties by alerting residents before shaking arrives. Infrastructure that can withstand earthquakes plays a crucial role in reducing damage.
Taiwan’s preparedness for earthquakes is considered one of the most advanced in the world.
The country has implemented stringent building codes, established a world-class seismological network and conducted extensive public education campaigns on safety.
The government organizes earthquake drills in schools and workplaces, while earthquake alerts and safety information are broadcast on public media and sent out via mobile texts.
The earthquake tested not only the resilience of physical infrastructure, but also social and political infrastructure. In the face of the disaster, international solidarity quickly emerged, demonstrating that humanity can unite in the face of suffering. Countries around the world offered immediate assistance.
Furthermore, the disaster underscores the importance of international collaboration in disaster mitigation efforts. Taiwan’s expertise in earthquake mitigation technology should be a source of learning for other countries, particularly those in disaster-prone areas. Taiwan’s experience in handling earthquakes can serve as a reference for practices worldwide.
Besides, social media platforms play a significant role in disseminating information and fostering empathy.
Ultimately, the Taiwan earthquake is not just about damage or statistics; it is about how the human spirit responds to the call for action, learning and solidarity.
By drawing lessons from this event, the international community can work toward a future where countries and communities are better prepared, responsive and mutually supportive in the face of natural disasters.
Najamuddin Khairur Rijal is a lecturer in International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Indonesia.
The first Donald Trump term was a boon for Taiwan. The administration regularized the arms sales process and enhanced bilateral ties. Taipei will not be so fortunate the second time around. Given recent events, Taiwan must proceed with the assumption that it cannot count on the United States to defend it — diplomatically or militarily — during the next four years. Early indications suggested otherwise. The nomination of Marco Rubio as US Secretary of State and the appointment of Mike Waltz as the national security advisor, both of whom have expressed full-throated support for Taiwan in the past, raised hopes that
Whether in terms of market commonality or resource similarity, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co is the biggest competitor of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). The two companies have agreed to set up factories in the US and are also recipients of subsidies from the US CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law by former US president Joe Biden. However, changes in the market competitiveness of the two companies clearly reveal the context behind TSMC’s investments in the US. As US semiconductor giant Intel Corp has faced continuous delays developing its advanced processes, the world’s two major wafer foundries, TSMC and
There is nothing the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) could do to stop the tsunami-like mass recall campaign. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) reportedly said the party does not exclude the option of conditionally proposing a no-confidence vote against the premier, which the party later denied. Did an “actuary” like Chu finally come around to thinking it should get tough with the ruling party? The KMT says the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is leading a minority government with only a 40 percent share of the vote. It has said that the DPP is out of touch with the electorate, has proposed a bloated
Authorities last week revoked the residency permit of a Chinese social media influencer surnamed Liu (劉), better known by her online channel name Yaya in Taiwan (亞亞在台灣), who has more than 440,000 followers online and is living in Taiwan with a marriage-based residency permit, for her “reunification by force” comments. She was asked to leave the country in 10 days. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) on Tuesday last week announced the decision, citing the influencer’s several controversial public comments, including saying that “China does not need any other reason to reunify Taiwan with force” and “why is it [China] hesitant
RSS