As Taiwan steels its defenses against China, some are hatching escape plans

Taipei, Taiwan (CNN) — In the face of growing Chinese military aggression, Taiwan has increased defense spending, extended mandatory conscription and revamped its combat exercises, signaling its determination to fight off a potential invasion.

Some of its people, like 51-year-old Nelson Yeh, have been making different plans.

Three years ago, Yeh decided to open a bank account in Singapore and move one-fifth of his wealth overseas. Then he applied for citizenship in Turkey, and nine months later obtained secondary passports for himself and his wife.

If Taiwan came under attack, he reasoned, he would be able to access emergency funds and use his Turkish papers to travel freely.

“The likelihood of this is low. But if it does happen then the losses would be huge, so I feel like I should have a plan B,” said Yeh, who works in finance in Taipei.

Now with the US engaged in a spiraling conflict in the Middle East, Yeh said global uncertainty over the fallout has further undermined his faith in the current world order.

“We are seeing the unilateral world start to crumble, and no one great power can dictate the situation,” he said.

Taiwan has grappled for decades with the possibility of military conflict with China. But Beijing under its leader Xi Jinping has more adamantly pressed its claim of sovereignty over the self-ruled island, launching live-fire drills and simulated blockades to deter “separatist forces.”

In preparation, some Taiwanese have started learning skills like first aid and marksmanship, while civil defense organizations have provided emergency response training. At the same time, immigration consultants said the political uncertainty has spurred more inquiries about moving overseas.

“Basically my thinking is that if I go abroad, I need money and a passport,” Yeh said. “Anything else beyond that is outside of my control.”

‘Tomorrow Taiwan’

Yeh said he got the idea to hold cash overseas from friends in Hong Kong, where tens of thousands of locals have voted with their feet and left the finance hub during a widespread national security crackdown.

Seeing China’s Communist Party exert greater control over the former British colony, he worried that Taiwan may someday face the same fate. During Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests in 2019, he often heard the slogan “Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow Taiwan.”

A variation on the refrain, “Ukraine Today, Taiwan Tomorrow,” returned after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, emphasizing the island’s vulnerability to a similar attack by China.

There’s little indication that China intends imminent military action. While Xi has threatened to take Taiwan by force if necessary, such a step could prompt US retaliation and lead to a costly conflict that would devastate global trade.

Nonetheless, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has proposed a $40 billion bill that includes one of the biggest arms deals ever between the US and Taiwan. As the proposal has encountered local political opposition and protests from Beijing, US senators visited Taiwan this week to encourage its legislators to reach an agreement.

Pessimism over domestic and international politics is one reason why more Taiwanese people are purchasing property in Thailand, said Edward Lai, a Taiwanese real estate agent working in Bangkok. He said his company has been on a hiring spree to keep up with the influx of inquiries, 70% of which are from Taiwanese worried about geopolitics, he estimates.

“Nowadays, my friends in Taiwan often tell me that they have a very strong feeling that they are about to lose their country,” he said.

Kuo, a 67-year-old retiree, started buying property in Cambodia a decade ago, initially as an investment, then as a precaution in case of conflict with China. He requested to use only his last name to speak candidly about his political beliefs, which he fears could draw backlash.

Kuo believes the question of unification will inevitably be resolved during Xi’s tenure, but is concerned Xi will opt for a more aggressive approach, such as a blockade or invasion, as relations between Beijing and Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party have deteriorated. While he is the only person in his family with a Cambodian passport, he hopes others can obtain temporary visas if they flee, or apply for passports to other countries in advance.

“As long as you can get out, you have time to observe the situation and await the outcome. No matter who wins or loses, if the winner has good intentions toward us, we will slowly find the opportunity to return,” he said.

Fight or flee?

Watching the Russia-Ukraine conflict, defense analysts said one of the biggest takeaways for Taiwan is the importance of civil resistance to the island’s security.

“It’s not just a domestic issue. It also carries international consequences,” said Charles Wu, an assistant professor of political science at the University of South Alabama. “If China now sees that Taiwanese people are basically giving up their will to fight, then maybe an invasion is unnecessary. Maybe they could buy it out.”

Wu, who specializes in how public opinion affects military operations, said the perceived willingness of Taiwanese people to fight or flee could greatly influence Chinese and US policy towards Taiwan.

“It’s important that when I go home to my colleagues in the Senate, that I’m able to say to them, they’re carrying their weight. They’re picking up their end of the stick, and they’re doing their part, not overly dependent on us in the United States,” Senator John Curtis, one of the officials who came to Taiwan to show support for increased defense spending, told reporters in Taipei.

But determining what percentage of the population would stay and fight is complicated. There is little comprehensive data on the number of people obtaining secondary passports or opening bank accounts overseas. Opinions can also vary widely based on polling methods, as well as people’s confidence in Taiwan’s own defense capabilities or military support from the US.

The US has a vested interest in Taiwan’s security, as a geographically strategic and democratically aligned partner in countering China’s rise. Under US legislation, Washington is obligated to sell Taiwan weapons for self-defense, but President Donald Trump has – in line with longstanding US policy – declined to say whether he would send military assistance if China attacked. Trump and Xi are expected to discuss Taiwan when Trump visits Beijing in May.

An analysis led by Wu showed that the proportion of people who say they are willing to defend Taiwan has ranged between 15% and 80% since 2017. In a 2025 survey funded by Duke University, which left the question more open-ended, 37% said they would “go with the flow,” 17% said they would support the government’s decision, 11% said they would flee Taiwan, and 20% said they would resist or join the military.

In addition to extending mandatory military service from four months to one year, the Taiwanese government has made efforts to ready the broader population for conflict. In 2024, Taiwan created a committee to enhance civil defense and has begun issuing official guides and holding drills on what to do in disaster scenarios.

Contingency plans

While there’s currently no sign of a significant exodus, consultants said Taiwanese are seeking a sense of security.

When Metropolitan Immigration Consulting Group opened in Taiwan two decades ago, clients mostly wanted to emigrate to English-speaking countries, general manager Kenny Chiang said. But in the past five years, a growing number have opted for citizenship by investment from places including St. Lucia, Vanuatu and the United Arab Emirates.

“Before, immigration meant getting a green card from the US, or a Maple Leaf card from Canada,” said Chiang. “Now everyone’s goal with immigration is to distribute risk, distribute assets and diversify identification.”

However, Mark Lin, manager at another immigration consultancy Luby, said that while inquiries have doubled over the past two years on geopolitical worries, leaving during a conflict wouldn’t be easy.

“People want to get a quick passport, in case something happens,” he said. “But if something were to happen, you can’t even get on a plane and move out, right? You have to have some sort of military assistance.”

That concern has some Taiwanese considering Malaysia as a back-up, said Jessica Chang, an education consultant who helps students and their families research friendly visa policies.

“If there’s war, the first place that will be bombed first will be the airport, right? But Malaysia is somewhere that you can just take boats,” she said.

Other options she’s discussed with clients are Portugal and Malta. Still, most of her students are set on attending US universities – as long as there’s a good chance of staying after graduation.

Kathy Chen, a 33-year-old Taiwanese data scientist, obtained her master’s degree from the University of Southern California five years ago, and has been looking for opportunities to emigrate ever since.

While she doesn’t believe war will happen soon, the prospect of a Chinese takeover has strengthened her resolve. Last year, she relocated to San Francisco with her husband, who is also Taiwanese and whose company sponsored his work visa.

“I just want to avoid any risk of being a Chinese person,” said Chen, who applied for a green card this year. “That would be the worst case for me.”

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