Taiwan issues revamped civil defense handbook to bolster public readiness amid China tensions

Taiwan on Tuesday released a revamped national civil defense handbook designed to make guidance on evacuation, sheltering and other emergency measures easier for residents to use as tensions with China persist.

The 36-page publication, issued by the All-out Defense Mobilization Agency, includes checklists and questions to help households plan for a range of crises from natural disasters to a possible military invasion. The handbook also points readers to online resources such as apps that show emergency shelter locations and instructional videos for emergency situations.

"Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, we have felt that much more information needs to be added," Shen Wei-chih, director of the All-out Defense Mobilization Agency, said in announcing the handbook. "Today's new edition of the National Defense Handbook is about how to enhance and raise public awareness of crises, as well as strengthen the ability for self-defense."

The guide offers practical recommendations such as stocking drinking water, canned food, toilet paper and pet food for about a week, and keeping items like sleeping bags, raincoats and a pre-packed evacuation bag ready. It explains how to recognize air-raid and tsunami sirens and includes a section on military threats that warns of "non-friendly actors conducting live-fire drills near Taiwan or unilaterally declaring a no-fly zone under the guise of military exercises."

Much of the advice mirrors earlier editions but is presented in simpler text and images, officials said. "We drew on the approaches of France and Norway, and after multiple rounds of discussion and consultation with experts, we completed this handbook. It is expressed through simple text and images, making it easy for people of all ages to understand," Col. Chiao Fu-chun, a Defense Ministry spokesperson, said.

The updated handbook comes as exchanges between Taipei and Beijing remain strained and Chinese maritime and military activity near Taiwan has increased. China claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory and has stepped up Coast Guard patrols and military drills in recent years. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said the People's Liberation Army sent 24 fighter jets, drones and support aircraft toward the island between Monday and Tuesday, and reported the presence of 11 navy vessels and six other Chinese ships.

President Lai Ching-te's government has emphasized the role civilians would play in responding to a possible invasion, and civil society groups have stepped up preparedness efforts. Kuma Academy, a civil defense training group, has expanded courses for the public, supported by a donation of 1 billion New Taiwan dollars from businessman Robert Tsao to assist community preparations.

Taiwan's earthquake-prone geography also shaped the handbook's approach, officials said, prompting inclusion of instructions applicable to natural disasters as well as military contingencies. An online version provides searchable shelter locations and links to apps aimed at improving readiness across age groups.

Officials said the updated handbook is intended to raise baseline public awareness and practical skills rather than to signal any change in military posture. The publication follows years of government and civic efforts to strengthen Taiwan's resilience in the face of both natural hazards and heightened cross-strait military activity.