cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5644649

Taiwan will begin distributing millions of civil defence handbooks to households across the island this week, in an unprecedented effort to prepare residents for potential emergencies, including the possibility of a Chinese attack.

The handbook, unveiled in September, includes for the first time instructions on what to do if citizens encounter enemy soldiers and stresses that any claims of Taiwan’s surrender should be considered false.

It also provides guidance on locating bomb shelters and preparing emergency kits.

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This marks Taiwan’s latest effort to prepare its population for crises ranging from natural disasters to a Chinese invasion, as Beijing steps up military and political pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the democratically governed island.

“This booklet shows our determination to defend ourselves,” said Lin Fei-fan, Deputy Secretary-General of Taiwan’s National Security Council who oversaw the effort.

“We need people across the Taiwan Strait to understand that there will be a huge cost if China makes the wrong decision because Taiwanese people have the resolve and very clear commitment in defending ourselves and people are willing to take that action to protect each other.”

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