Taiwan has a new manual for times of crisis and war, and it’s making sure that everyone receives one.
The local national defense ministry said on Tuesday that it was sending 11 million copies of the new handbook, which was revealed in September, to all households across the island.
The self-governed island is home to roughly 23.3 million people.
Taipei first published a civil defense handbook in 2022, then expanded it in 2023. Countries such as Finland, Sweden, and Lithuania have also released similar guides amid concerns about a potential war with Russia.
But Taiwan’s new edition features a revamped style with graphics and simple tips catering toward the wider public. It’s also the first year that Taiwan is launching a massive mailing campaign to distribute the handbooks.
While the 2025 National Public Safety Guide did not specifically name mainland China, Taiwan’s de facto military concern, as a threat, maps and posited scenarios in the book strongly suggest aggression from Beijing as a key concern.
Such guides also cover disasters such as nuclear accidents or earthquakes, but offer specific insight into how militaries around the world expect civilian populations to prepare for urban conflict.
Here’s what Taiwan’s new handbook teaches its people about war at home.
Take stock of your household
The handbook begins by asking readers to consider key logistics in the event that Taiwan comes under threat.
These include:
- The number of people in the household.
- Older adults, pets, or children who may need special attention.
- Food supplies for short periods.
- Medicine stocks for chronic conditions.
- A radio and cash at home.
- Any landlines in case phone or internet communications are severed.
- Portable batteries that are charged.
Keeping more supplies than needed at home
The handbook advises maintaining a rolling stockpile of supplies that can last for at least one week. This means that households would consume food and necessities from their stockpile while regularly replenishing it, rather than buying only what they need at present.
The items that Taiwan recommends include:
- Dry foods such as nuts, instant noodles, canned goods, and chocolate.
- At least 3 liters, or about 3.17 quarts, of water per day per person.
- Household items such as gloves and plastic bags.
- Hygiene items, including contact lenses, sanitizing wipes, and feminine hygiene products.
- Baby supplies or items for older adults, such as baby formula or hearing aids.
- Emergency items such as a portable gas stove, LED lamps, dry cell batteries, and water purifiers.
Prepare a go-bag
A go-bag is a pack of easily transportable necessities that households have on standby in case they need to flee quickly.
Taiwan’s suggestions for a standard go-bag include:
- Two 600ml, or 20-ounce, bottles of water.
- Some ready-to-eat foods.
- Medicine, sanitary items, simple cleaning materials, and pain relief medication.
- IDs, health insurance information, and financial documents.
- Clothes for colder or wet weather.
- Durable walking shoes.
- A whistle.
- Charging accessories.
- A Swiss army knife.
- Paper, pen, and maps.
- A portable radio with batteries.
Military threat scenarios
This year’s edition listed several specific hostile or sabotage scenarios, going into more detail than previous versions. While these do not mention China, they were accompanied by a map of China’s southeastern seaboard and the Taiwan Strait.
The listed threats are:
- Sabotage of undersea cables or critical infrastructure.
- Enemy naval patrols that may insist on boarding Taiwanese vessels.
- Live-fire drills near Taiwan.
- A no-fly zone being created around Taiwan under the guise of military exercises.
- Hostile drones flying in Taiwan’s airspace.
- Blocking of traffic and commercial activity across the Taiwan Strait.
- Direct attacks or acts of armed aggression.
- Infiltration or sabotage.
What to do in a ground invasion
Taiwan’s previous handbook came with identifiers for military uniforms from mainland China’s People’s Liberation Army and the island’s Republic of China Armed Forces.
But these were missing from this year’s edition, which suggested that enemy forces could disguise themselves anyway.
“Civilians may have trouble telling the difference between friendly and non-friendly forces, since distance, surroundings, and other factors can create confusion,” the handbook said.
The handbook told civilians to leave the area as soon as possible if they see any military activity, and not to share footage of Taiwanese military movements online.
How to survive air raids in Taiwan
While the best way to survive an air raid is typically to seek an underground shelter, Taiwan’s handbook said that if time is short, civilians should stay away from walls, doors, and windows to lower the chances of injury from shockwaves of debris.
The guide encouraged those stuck outside to lie flat on the ground, cover their heads, slightly open their mouths, and turn away from the explosion.
Dealing with stress and anxiety
The handbook encourages people to talk about their stress or anxiety, while limiting exposure to non-essential news or online information to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
“Maintain a good diet, sleep, and exercise regimen to stay healthy and relieve stress,” it added.
Discussing war with kids
The handbook specifically suggests that parents prepare go-bags with their children, and encourage kids to talk openly about their anxieties about war.
They should also intentionally teach kids how to distinguish legitimate news from disinformation, the handbook said.
Set emergency meeting points with family
The guide specifically recommends that families start designating three emergency points that all members know how to reach, and have everyone memorize the contact information of three key family members or friends.
They should also familiarize themselves with evacuation routes in their neighborhood, while noting the nearby air raid shelters or aid points.
Basic medical aid skills
The guide also contains simple first aid instructions, specifically for what to do when dealing with toxic chemicals, nuclear scenarios, burns, bleeding, and resuscitation needs.
Warnings about apps and phones from mainland China
The handbook specifically warns of data collection risks from popular phone apps developed in China, including the AI platform DeepSeek, the social media apps RedNote and TikTok, and the messaging platform WeChat.
“Additionally, some Chinese-brand devices with camera functions, such as surveillance cameras and image sensors, could also lead to privacy leaks,” the guide said.
The US has raised its own concerns about Chinese-made apps as potential national security threats, most notably when Congress passed a law in 2024 that compels ByteDance, the Beijing-headquartered owner of TikTok, to divest from its app or face a ban from the US.
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