The Ministry of National Defense’s All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency yesterday released its updated civil defense handbook, which defines the types of potential military aggression by an “enemy state” and self-protection tips in such scenarios.
The agency has released three editions of the handbook since 2022, covering information from the preparation of go-bags to survival tips during natural disasters and war.
Compared with the previous edition, released in 2023, the latest version has a clearer focus on wartime scenarios.
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
It includes a section outlining six types of potential military threats Taiwan could face, including destruction of critical infrastructure and most undersea cables, resulting in large-scale Internet outages; a hostile nation conducting patrols around Taiwan and demanding to inspect Taiwanese vessels; a hostile nation conducting live-fire drills near Taiwan or unilaterally designating no-sail zones under the pretext of military exercises; a hostile nation’s drones appearing in Taiwanese airspace; the other side of the Taiwan Strait unilaterally announcing a halt to cross-strait transportation and commercial activities; and a hostile nation launching attacks, armed aggression or sabotage/infiltration operations.
China has staged several large-scale military exercises around Taiwan following a visit to the nation by then-US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi in August 2022, with the most recent on April 2 codenamed “Strait Thunder-2025A.”
Other maneuvers listed include arbitrary boarding and inspection of Taiwanese-registered civilian ships, unilaterally suspending traffic and commercial activities across the Taiwan Strait, sending drones into Taiwan’s territorial airspace and launching an attack followed by an armed invasion.
In another section, the handbook states that if an area comes under attack, residents should go to the nearest basement. People trapped indoors should stay behind two walls and away from exterior walls, while people outdoors should lie prone, facing away from explosions and protect their heads.
If people come across apparent members of enemy forces, they should quickly leave the area or take shelter, it says.
Another update is a warning against wartime messages that the government has surrendered or that the military has been defeated, expressly stating that such information is “false.”
The new guide also includes a section encouraging people to candidly discuss the threat of war with their children, involve them in preparing go-bags, teach them how to recognize disinformation and help ease their anxiety about war.
The guide further features a chapter with information on how to become a certified disaster prevention specialist or enlist in the armed forces.
Shen Wei-chih (沈威志), head of the agency’s Materials Mobilization Division, yesterday said that the updated handbook was compiled under the guidance of the Presidential Office’s Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee.
Shen said that 5,000 hard copies would be printed for distribution initially in limited numbers at selected PX Mart stores across the nation.
Downloadable Chinese and English-language (https://prepare.mnd.gov.tw/assets/pdf/manual-en.pdf) electronic versions are also available, he said.
“Why are we releasing this handbook during a time of peace? It is not to create panic, but to tell people you need to make preparations while there is peace, so when a crisis happens you know what to do,” he said. “The earlier you are prepared, the earlier you study [the booklet], the earlier you would be safe.”
Shen said the government wants people to put a copy of the handbook in grab bags containing emergency supplies stored in an easily accessible locations.
Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu and Reuters
People can preregister to receive their NT$10,000 (US$325) cash distributed from the central government on Nov. 5 after President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday signed the Special Budget for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience, the Executive Yuan told a news conference last night. The special budget, passed by the Legislative Yuan on Friday last week with a cash handout budget of NT$236 billion, was officially submitted to the Executive Yuan and the Presidential Office yesterday afternoon. People can register through the official Web site at https://10000.gov.tw to have the funds deposited into their bank accounts, withdraw the funds at automated teller
PEACE AND STABILITY: Maintaining the cross-strait ‘status quo’ has long been the government’s position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Taiwan is committed to maintaining the cross-strait “status quo” and seeks no escalation of tensions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday, rebutting a Time magazine opinion piece that described President William Lai (賴清德) as a “reckless leader.” The article, titled “The US Must Beware of Taiwan’s Reckless Leader,” was written by Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia Program at the Washington-based Defense Priorities think tank. Goldstein wrote that Taiwan is “the world’s most dangerous flashpoint” amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He said that the situation in the Taiwan Strait has become less stable
CONCESSION: A Shin Kong official said that the firm was ‘willing to contribute’ to the nation, as the move would enable Nvidia Crop to build its headquarters in Taiwan Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽) yesterday said it would relinquish land-use rights, or known as surface rights, for two plots in Taipei’s Beitou District (北投), paving the way for Nvidia Corp to expand its office footprint in Taiwan. The insurer said it made the decision “in the interest of the nation’s greater good” and would not seek compensation from taxpayers for potential future losses, calling the move a gesture to resolve a months-long impasse among the insurer, the Taipei City Government and the US chip giant. “The decision was made on the condition that the Taipei City Government reimburses the related
FRESH LOOK: A committee would gather expert and public input on the themes and visual motifs that would appear on the notes, the central bank governor said The central bank has launched a comprehensive redesign of New Taiwan dollar banknotes to enhance anti-counterfeiting measures, improve accessibility and align the bills with global sustainability standards, Governor Yang Chin-long (楊金龍) told a meeting of the legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday. The overhaul would affect all five denominations — NT$100, NT$200, NT$500, NT$1,000 and NT$2,000 notes — but not coins, Yang said. It would be the first major update to the banknotes in 24 years, as the current series, introduced in 2001, has remained in circulation amid rapid advances in printing technology and security standards. “Updating the notes is essential to safeguard the integrity
RSS