Taiwan has made progress in combating major crimes and improved the nation’s investment climate, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday at the opening of a four-day review of the nation’s implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
Chen thanked the international panel of experts who are taking part in the review meeting to evaluate Taiwan’s initial report on compliance with the UN convention, and to advise on mechanisms to fight corruption and money laundering.
Drafted by the Ministry of Justice’s Agency Against Corruption (AAC), with assistance from other judicial agencies, the report was first published in Chinese in March, with an English-language version being distributed to international experts in April.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Jose Ugaz, a law professor from Peru and former chairman of Transparency International, heads the panel, which includes Kim Geo-sung, former chairman of TI Korea; Jon S.T. Quah, an anti-corruption expert from Singapore; Rick McDonell, former executive secretary of Financial Action Task Force; and Peter Ritchie, an anti-corruption adviser from Australia.
“Through this evaluation meeting, the Taiwanese government wants to clearly express two important objectives: First, Taiwan, with all the major branches of government taking part, is willing to work with the international community in implementing measures to prevent and crack down on corruption,” Chen said in his opening address.
“Second, we are determined to let the world see that Taiwan has been cracking down on corruption, so that more people will be willing to come to Taiwan,” he said.
“Fighting corruption conforms to global universal values and Taiwanese have high expectations about justice and equality in society. Having a clean government is the last bastion in our overall effort to ensure a fair and just society,” he added.
Engagement in the process started in September 2016, when the government initiated the drive to comply and implement UNCAC’s framework, although Taiwan is not a UN member, Chen said.
Taiwan ranked 29th among the 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index report last year, which was the nation’s best showing over the past decade, he said.
“It showed that Taiwan made good progress in clean governance and in combating corruption, and our efforts were recognized by the international community,” he said.
“Achieving better transparency and good governance can boost international investors’ confidence” in Taiwan, enhancing its global competitiveness and creating a more favorable environment to attract global businesses to invest in the country, Chen added.
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