Taiwan's vulnerability to natural disasters was why the US representative office in Kaohsiung recently posted on social media encouraging people in Taiwan to prepare a "go bag" for emergencies, a US government spokesperson said yesterday.
The response came after a Facebook post by the American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Kaohsiung branch sparked widespread discussion in Taiwan, with some speculating that the US might have intelligence suggesting China could be preparing to take military action against the nation.
On Wednesday last week, the branch posted tips on preparing a "go bag" with essentials such as important documents and a first aid kit.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA
The post was simply a reminder for people in Taiwan to prepare for natural disasters, an unnamed US Department of State spokesperson wrote in an e-mail.
"Taiwan is located in a region prone to natural disasters. Whether it's encouraging individual disaster preparedness for earthquakes or for typhoons, the United States supports Taiwan's whole-of-society resilience efforts," the spokesperson wrote.
Former AIT director Brent Christensen said that he "would not interpret AIT Kaohsiung's information on a 'go bag' for emergencies as anything significant."
"This is just a restatement of a longstanding recommendation that US citizens living overseas be ready for any kind of emergency that would require them to evacuate quickly, whether it's a major natural disaster, political instability, or some other serious safety concern," he said.
Overseas posts such as the AIT are given some leeway to create their own messaging, as long as it aligns with overall US government policy, he added.
Former AIT deputy director Robert Wang (王曉岷) said he had no idea why the Kaohsiung branch shared the information online and declined to speculate.
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