Communist China never ruled Taiwan. However, she has claimed the democratic archipelago for decades. And since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the threat seems much more concrete to the 24 million Taiwanese because of the arguments used by Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine, very similar to those of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping.
To address public concerns, the Taiwanese military released a wartime survival manual last week. In this 28-page document, we learn, for example, how to take shelter in the event of a bombardment or how to react to a shortage of medicines.
“With the Russian invasion, we realize that Taiwan could also become a war zone.”
Hao Wei, Taiwanese studentat franceinfo
Data science student, Hao Wei is worried, like many young people, for the future of his archipelago. “That’s why a lot of people want to learn how to react in case of conflict. So I think this government manual is very useful, but I would like them to go even further. For example, by explaining concretely what ‘we could do in the event of a war to defend our country, and not just to protect ourselves.
Civil defense formations organized by citizens are multiplying everywhere on the island, with the idea of dissuading China from taking action. Taiwan already has an army of 120,000 soldiers but also modern weapons, mainly supplied by the United States. It therefore remains as a weak point, the preparation of its civil society. The question was taboo until then, but the war in Ukraine changed the situation. “We teach first aid gestures, but above all we try to convey this idea that you have to be ready to face unforeseen situations”, explains Enoch Wu, a member of the ruling party who organizes first aid workshops. For several weeks, applications for registration have exploded.
“Our goal is also to send a message to the Chinese Communist Party: if you want to invade us, you will have to face the whole Taiwanese population, and not only our soldiers. It will not be a health walk!”
Enoch Wu, a member of the ruling partyat franceinfo
The government now hopes to go further, for example, by extending the length of military service. A reform supported by the Taiwanese: according to recent polls, 75% of them would be ready to defend themselves in the event of a Chinese invasion.