TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. government is reportedly devising evacuation plans for American citizens in Taiwan in the event China launches an attack on Taiwan.
On Monday (June 12), the Messenger cited three sources familiar with the matter as stating that the U.S. government is making plans to evacuate American citizens amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait. One U.S. intelligence official told the news agency that the preparations have been underway for at least six months and have accelerated over the past two months.
According to the official, a "heightened level of tension" has spurred the expedited measures. The source pointed out that widely reported factors such as China's military build-up, Beijing's siding with Moscow over the war in Ukraine, and Russia's 2022 invasion are all serving as an impetus.
One source said that the arrangements for an evacuation are being kept low-key as it is considered a sensitive topic by Taipei. A former State Department official noted that even mentioning such preparations could give the impression that a crisis is looming even if it was actually just an act of "prudent planning."
When asked by the news agency to comment on the plans, Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Martin Meiners declined to provide a direct response to the question. However, he did emphasize that “We do not see a conflict in the Taiwan Strait as imminent or inevitable.”
On Tuesday (June 13), Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) issued a civil defense handbook that is 20 pages longer than last year's version. Of particular note are detailed illustrations showing the distinctions between the uniforms worn by Taiwanese soldiers and those of People's Liberation Army troops to facilitate the identification of friend or foe by the civilian population.
