Taiwan mandates safety inspections for air-raid shelters

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior (內政部) announced on Tuesday (June 24) that air-raid shelter facilities will become part of public safety inspections starting July 1, reflecting heightened cross-strait tensions and global geopolitical shifts. The new rule ensures that shelters, particularly those accommodating over 500 people, remain accessible, well-lit, and free of water accumulation during emergencies.

Public underground air-raid shelters in Taiwan include designated parking lots, building basements, and certain metro stations, particularly in Taipei. These underground facilities mirror shelters that have functioned during recent crises in Ukraine, Israel, and Iran.

Real estate expert Hsu Chia-Hsin (徐佳馨) noted that while the initiative is well-intentioned, older buildings often face challenges due to repurposed spaces and limited local resources. "Some ground-floor shops or older buildings might have improperly utilized shelter spaces," she explained.

Taipei City Councilor Chan Wei-yuan (詹為元) expressed concerns about rapid policy implementation. "This could impact community planning and spark property rights disputes," Chan said, while noting that building management committees are actively working to comply with the new regulations.

Lai Chih-Chang (賴志昶), public relations director at Great Home Reality (大家房屋) research division, highlighted that the Ministry initially targets large structures, which may influence homebuyers' decisions. Lai advised communities to assess their shelter conditions early to avoid potential penalties, which could be substantial under the new framework.

Taiwan currently boasts over 82,000 air-raid shelters capable of accommodating 5.4 million individuals, according to the National Police Agency's (NPA, 警政署) 2025 statistics. The Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) emphasized that shelters must remain closed until the Ministry of National Defense (MDN, 國防部) issues an evacuation order, as many are located in private buildings.

These shelters have been fully integrated into an online system, with the NPA creating a Google map for public access to locations. While enhancing emergency facilities is Taiwan's priority policy as the government strengthens societal resilience against potential Chinese military pressure, practical implementation and capacity expectations remain challenging and require thorough preparation.