Taiwan delivers chilling handbook to citizens to prepare for Chinese invasion

TAIWAN will begin distributing millions of civil defence handbooks to households this week.

In an unprecedented effort to prepare residents, Taiwan will issue advice for potential emergencies – including a Chinese attack.

The handbook, unveiled in September, includes for the first time instructions on what to do if citizens encounter enemy soldiers.

It stresses that any claims of Taiwan’s surrender should be considered false.

The guidance assists residents on locating bomb shelters and preparing emergency kits.

This marks Taiwan’s latest effort to prepare its population for crises including natural disasters and a Chinese invasion.

The move comes as Beijing steps up military and political pressure to assert its sovereignty claims over the democratically governed island.

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

“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.”

The distribution to more than 9.8 million mailboxes across the island will start this week.

Handbooks will be in English and other foreign languages, Lin said.

After the distribution, Lin said the government will help people prepare their personal emergency kits through promotional campaignsthough he did not give details.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of Taiwan.

Taiwan’s government rejects China’s territorial claims, saying only Taiwanese people can decide their future.

The handbook outlines scenarios Taiwan might face, from sabotage of undersea cables and cyber attacks to inspections of Taiwanese vessels by an “enemy nation” as a prelude to conflict, and even an all-out invasion.

Residents are advised to stay calm, confirm supplies and seek refuge with friends and families in the case of an invasion.

Warning against the spread of misinformation, the handbook urges residents against the use of Chinese apps including WeChat and TikTok.

It also suggests residents avoid using Chinese-made devices which may include surveillance functions like robot vacuum cleaners.

Lin said Taiwan is already facing hybrid warfare by China, including cyber attacks, infiltration, misinformation campaigns and military incursions near the island.

“It is D-day versus everyday. D-day means actually invasion. Obviously we are not in the D-day mode. But we are facing the so-called everyday coercion.”

This comes just weeks after China officially commissioned its biggest and most advanced aircraft carrier -The Fujian.

The 1,000ft and 80,000ton supercarrier was debuted in a high-profile ceremony attended by Xi Jinpingbefore it entered active service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the South China Sea.

Fujian is also the name of the province directly across from Taiwan, making the ship’s christening a symbolic statement of China’s claim over the self-governing island.

The move also cements China’s place as the world’s second-largest carrier force as Beijing aims to rival the US in naval supremacy.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has been developing critical defensive tactics to fend off China’s Army.

Known as the Porcupine Strategy or asymmetric defence, Taiwan aims to use their Navy, Air Force and weaponry to create a near unbreakable force which is hard to penetrate – even for the world’s largest military.

The goal is not to defeat the PLA of China in a conventional war – but to make an invasion so difficult and costly that Beijing is deterred from attempting an invasion.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.