The latest edition of US-based non-governmental organization Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report ranks Taiwan as the second-freest nation in Asia, with a total score of 93 points, the same as last year.
Taiwan garnered 37 out of 40 points in political rights and 56 of 60 in civil liberties, and maintained its “free” rating, the democracy watchdog’s Web site showed.
The report is to be published on Wednesday next week in Washington. It designates nations and territories as “free,” “partly free” and “not free” based on political rights and civil liberties.
Taiwan was second only to Japan (96 points) in Asia and ranked 25th among 195 nations and 15 territories assessed, the Web site showed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the ranking proves that Taiwan’s adherence to the values of democracy, freedom and human rights is recognized by the international community.
The ministry said that it would continue to work with like-minded countries to promote these values, and contribute to democracy and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide.
While the latest narrative on Taiwan was not yet available, last year’s report described the nation as a “vibrant and competitive” democracy that has allowed peaceful transfers of power between rival parties since 2000.
In a prelaunch news release on Thursday, Freedom House said the state of political rights and civil liberties worldwide is deteriorating.
“Countries that suffered setbacks in 2019 outnumbered those making gains by nearly two to one, marking the 14th consecutive year of deterioration in global freedom,” it said.
The report also found a global erosion in government commitment to pluralism.
Taiwan has arranged for about 8 million barrels of crude oil, or about one-third of its monthly needs, to be shipped from the Red Sea this month to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and ease domestic supply pressures, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) said yesterday. The state-run oil company has worked with Middle Eastern suppliers to secure routes other than the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes, CPC chairman Fang Jeng-zen (方振仁) said at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee in Taipei. Suppliers in Saudi Arabia have indicated they
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides. South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its online arrival card system, where people had to fill out where they came from and their next destination. The ministry had requested South Korea make a revision and said it would change South Korea’s name on Taiwan’s online immigration system from “Republic of Korea” to “Korea (South),” should the issue not be
CCP ‘PAWN’? Beijing could use the KMT chairwoman’s visit to signal to the world that many people in Taiwan support the ‘one China’ principle, an academic said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday arrived in China for a “peace” mission and potential meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), while a Taiwanese minister detailed the number of Chinese warships currently deployed around the nation. Cheng is visiting at a time of increased Chinese military pressure on Taiwan, as the opposition-dominated Legislative Yuan stalls a government plan for US$40 billion in extra defense spending. Speaking to reporters before going to the airport, Cheng said she was going on a “historic journey for peace,” but added that some people felt uneasy about her trip. “If you truly love Taiwan,
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
RSS