Taiwan faces an existential threat. Is the island prepared for a blockade, missile strikes, or even an invasion by China? A new RAND study considers this critical question through the lens of Taiwan's civilian resistance.
The authors define civilian resilience as “civil society's ability to anticipate, prepare for, mitigate, and survive an act of war and rebuild following the end of the hostilities.” They find that Taiwan already has many helpful building blocks in place, including a rich history of volunteerism, ample experience with disaster response, and a modern health care system.
But despite this strong foundation, Taiwan must take further action to prepare for the impacts that war could have on civilian life. There are also ways the United States and the international community could further support Taiwan's efforts.
While bolstering Taiwan will be a “large and long-term endeavor that cannot be accomplished quickly,” the authors write, “many important steps could be taken in short order and might prove consequential in the event of a conflict.”
