Proposals floated to form foundation to promote democracy

The government is planning to establish a foundation to promote democracy around the world, officials said yesterday.

Yang Huang May-hsing (楊黃美幸), vice chairperson of the foreign ministry's Research and Planning Board, said the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy would be a publicly funded, non-governmental agency.

According to the draft proposal, which has not been completed, political parties in Taiwan would also be eligible for subsidies as part of the move to help consolidate democracy in the country, a foreign ministry official who declined to be named, said yesterday.

The ministry hopes to secure around NT$200 million to NT$300 million from the government to establish the foundation, the official said.

The foundation would also seek donations from the private sector, with an independent board of directors controlling how the money is spent, the official added.

Japan has been planning to create a similar foundation, the official said, but Taipei intends to set up its foundation first.

Many developed countries have similar foundations to promote democracy, such as the National Endowment for Democracy in the US and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in the UK.

In September, Taipei will host an international seminar of experts from similar foundations to exchange views on the purposes and operations of these organizations, Yang said.