TI opens chapter

The Taiwan chapter of the Transparency (TI) International was inaugurated yesterday as the organization's 87th branch. Among Chinese nations and areas, only Taiwan boasts a TI chapter, said Yu Chih-li (余致力), chairman of Shih Hsin University's (世新大學) administrative management department. China, Singapore and Hong Kong have not yet joined the world's only global anti-corruption organization. Initially, Yu said, the Taiwan chapter will focus on arousing public attention to the importance of anti-corruption and anti-bribery work. "Our initial agenda will include promoting anti-corruption education among adolescents and young adults, stepping up research into domestic corruption and bribery activities and advocating `transparency' as a main theme of all reform programs," Yu said. Yu urged those who are willing to dedicate themselves to fighting corruption, bribery and graft and to boosting transparency and accountability in government operations to take part in TI Taiwan activities.