Taiwan issued its first war handbook advising citizens how to respond in the wake of an attack, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine raises fears of a Chinese incursion at home.
A document released Tuesday by the Ministry of National Defense provides QR codes for finding air raid shelters, a list of items to stockpile and mobilization information for military reserves.
The pamphlet simulates wartime situations and guides the public in various scenarios, so they can learn to adopt necessary response measures, said Liu Tai-yi, director at the All-Out Defense Mobilization Agency materials division. Regional governments are encouraged to update the 28-sided document with localized information, and the 28-sided document is available for download.
President Tsai Ing-wen s government launched a mobilization agency in December to bolster resilience against national security threats, as China ramps up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on the island. The data from Bloomberg shows that Beijing more than doubled its military forays into Taiwan's air-defense identification zone last year.
Despite never having reigned the island of 23.5 million people, Chinese President Xi Jinping considers Taiwan lost territory that it must regain by force if necessary. The position has been a flash point in tensions with the U.S.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine undermined confidence that world powers would be able to prevent a crisis over the island.
Reports that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was scheduled to visit Taiwan last week as part of a trip to Asia triggered a diplomatic protest from Beijing, with its foreign ministry saying such a trip would be met with strong measures. Pelosi's office declined to say whether she was traveling to Taipei, and the Asia trip was later canceled after she tested positive for COVID - 19.