Taiwanโฃ Distributes Civil defense Guides to โคHouseholds Amid Rising China Tensions
Taipei, Taiwan – November 21, โฃ2025 – Taiwan’s governmentโฃ has begun distributing a 32-page civil defenseโ booklet to nearly 10 millionโ households โacross theโ island, outlining preparedness measures for bothโ natural disasters and a potential Chinese invasion. โThe initiative, launched โthis week, aims to โbolster public awareness and resilience in the face of escalating regionalโค security concerns.
The booklet, titled “In Case โคof Crisis,” provides guidance on assembling emergency “go bags,” responding to air raid sirens, administering first aid, andโข identifying disinformation campaigns potentially deployed by “hostile foreign forces” should China attack. It explicitly states that any claimsโข of government surrender orโ national defeat in the event of an invasion are false.
This marks the first time โTaiwan โhas opted for a widespread printed distributionโฃ ofโข emergency guidelines, havingโ previously relied on online resources. Defense Minister Wellington Koo โexplained to lawmakersโค on Wednesday that the printed format ensures accessibility for all citizens, notably the elderly in rural areas and those without digital access.
The move โis a key component of President Lai Ching-te’s broader strategy โto prepare Taiwan’s 23 million residents for potential conflict or disaster.
“I think it’s quite helpful,” saeid Chi Chien-han, a 43-year-old community โleader, to โข AFP.”It reminds us to stay alert ratherโข than acting like nothing matters.”
While many โขresidents, like 31-year-old 3D animation specialist Jay Tsai, expressed a sense of reassurance, stating, “I hope we’ll never need it but it feels reassuring to have,” the initiative has also drawn โcriticism. Some, including IT worker โYang Chen-che, 38, view the booklet as redundant, arguing that the data is readily available online. Others, like communityโค leaderโค Chiang Chu-hsuan, 60, have questioned the cost-effectiveness of the project, calling it a “waste of money” and urging the president to prioritize diplomatic efforts โto avoid conflict.
The Defence Ministry has stated that the guide was developed with referenceโ to similar publications from countries like โSweden and France. Lin fei-fan, deputy secretary-general of the National โขSecurity Council, emphasized the booklet’s symbolic importance, stating, “I think this booklet actually shows ourโ determination of defending ourselves.”
Legislator Yeh Yuan-chih of โขthe Kuomintang party, which favors closer tiesโค with China, has raised concerns about the NT$60 million ($1.9 million) cost of printing and distribution.
The โdistribution is expected to be completed by early January. Resident โขRuru Liu, 32,โ noted that recent events, particularly the war in Ukraine, have heightened awareness of potential threats, suggestingโ the guide “might help people to some extent.”