A US government spokesperson on Wednesday said that Taiwan’s vulnerability to natural disasters was why a US representative office in Kaohsiung posted on social media encouraging people in Taiwan to prepare a “go bag” for emergencies.
The response came after a June 11 Facebook post by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Kaohsiung Branch sparked widespread discussion, with some speculating that the US might have intelligence suggesting China could be preparing to take military action against Taiwan.
In the post, the AIT Kaohsiung Branch shared tips on preparing a “go bag” with essentials such as important documents and a first aid kit.
Photo: screen grab from the American Institute in Taiwan Kaohsiung Branch’s Facebook page
An unnamed US Department of State spokesperson said the post was simply a reminder for people in Taiwan to prepare for natural disasters.
“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 unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mail in response to media queries.
Asked to comment, two former top AIT officials downplayed speculation that the post was a warning of an imminent military threat.
Brent Christensen, who led the AIT from summer 2018 to summer 2022, said 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.
He added that overseas posts such as the AIT have some leeway to create their own messaging, as long as it aligns with US government policy.
Robert Wang, AIT deputy director from 2006 to 2009, said he had no idea why the Kaohsiung branch shared the information online and declined to speculate.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 8:39pm tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was 38.7km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 98.3km, the CWA’s Seismological Center said. The quake’s maximum intensity, which gauges the actual physical effect of a seismic event, was a level 4 on Taiwan’s 7-tier intensity scale, the center said. That intensity level was recorded in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳), Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), Nantou County’s Hehuanshan (合歡山) and Hualien County’s Yanliao (鹽寮). An intensity of 3 was
Instead of focusing solely on the threat of a full-scale military invasion, the US and its allies must prepare for a potential Chinese “quarantine” of Taiwan enforced through customs inspections, Stanford University Hoover fellow Eyck Freymann said in a Foreign Affairs article published on Wednesday. China could use various “gray zone” tactics in “reconfiguring the regional and ultimately the global economic order without a war,” said Freymann, who is also a nonresident research fellow at the US Naval War College. China might seize control of Taiwan’s links to the outside world by requiring all flights and ships entering or leaving Taiwan
The next minimum wage hike is expected to exceed NT$30,000, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday during an award ceremony honoring “model workers,” including migrant workers, at the Presidential Office ahead of Workers’ Day today. Lai said he wished to thank the awardees on behalf of the nation and extend his most sincere respect for their hard work, on which Taiwan’s prosperity has been built. Lai specifically thanked 10 migrant workers selected for the award, saying that although they left their home countries to further their own goals, their efforts have benefited Taiwan as well. The nation’s industrial sector and small businesses lay
Taiwan's first indigenous defense submarine, the SS-711 Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), departed for its 13th sea trial at 7am today, marking its seventh submerged test, with delivery to the navy scheduled for July. The outing also marked its first sea deployment since President William Lai (賴清德) boarded the submarine for an inspection on March 19, drawing a crowd of military enthusiasts who gathered to show support. The submarine this morning departed port accompanied by CSBC Corp’s Endeavor Manta (奮進魔鬼魚號) uncrewed surface vessel and a navy M109 assault boat. Amid public interest in key milestones such as torpedo-launching operations and overnight submerged trials,
RSS