The recent Ta Hsueh Shih Hsiang (
The investigation into an innocuous-looking real estate development project has revealed a long list of suspected beneficiaries -- including legislators, a minister without portfolio, a deputy minister, police officers, judges, and gangsters. The size of the scandal is spectacular. Obviously, Taiwan still has a long way to go in its fight against corruption.
Since it came to power last year, the DPP government has made the crackdown on "black gold" its top priority. By the end of March this year, the Ministry of Justice has indicted 473 people in corruption cases involving a total amount of NT$13.5 billion.
A large number of legislators, county commissioners, city mayors, and local councilors have been investigated. The performance even won Taiwan some plaudits from the US-based Freedom House last year. But according to a recently released report from the US Trade Representative's Office, corruption has for the first time become a trade barrier in Taiwan. The report lists several areas in which corruption is especially serious: environmental protection and waste treatment, construction, advertising and sales, among others. Taiwan fell behind Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong in a recent media survey on corruption-free countries in Asia. These international appraisals show that the government has been getting only superficial results for highly visible efforts in its fight against corruption. It is as if the government has been driving a mower that cannot really uproot all the weeds of corruption, which will surely grow tall again after a little spring rain.
Corruption has an aggravating effect on Taiwan's economic slowdown. First of all, it is a non-economic factor that twists market functions, creating an irrational mode of competition whereby corrupt, insolvent businesses manage to beat good ones out of the market through crookery. Next, corruption adds an unpredictable factor to business costs, creating a deleterious effect on competition. Corruption also undercuts investor confidence, accelerates the business exodus to overseas, slowing the inflow of foreign investments. In a word, corruption is a major barrier to both domestic and foreign investments.
The government may not have been using all the tools available to fight against corruption. Certainly, the sweeping investigations will deter corruption among government officials, but a more important job lies in reforming the legal system -- bringing down the structure that supports official-business cronyism, and creating an environment where government officials dare not, cannot and need not be corrupt.
While continuing with its crackdown on crime, the government should also set up an anti-corruption department to coordinate investigations.
It should also strengthen Taiwan's sunshine laws, requiring civil servants to report and prove the sources of their assets, and making it more difficult for them to hide or funnel illegally acquired assets. Finally, the government should work to simplify bureaucratic red tape.
More muddled regulations mean more administration discretion, which in turn means more opportunities for corruption. Administrative regulations, such as business licensing rules, should be clear and transparent. They also need to be implemented efficiently. Taiwan's many bristling, muddled regulations allow for bribery between government officials and businesses. Simple, transparent rules and efficient administration are the most important tools for preventing corruption.
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
The gutting of Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) by US President Donald Trump’s administration poses a serious threat to the global voice of freedom, particularly for those living under authoritarian regimes such as China. The US — hailed as the model of liberal democracy — has the moral responsibility to uphold the values it champions. In undermining these institutions, the US risks diminishing its “soft power,” a pivotal pillar of its global influence. VOA Tibetan and RFA Tibetan played an enormous role in promoting the strong image of the US in and outside Tibet. On VOA Tibetan,
Former minister of culture Lung Ying-tai (龍應台) has long wielded influence through the power of words. Her articles once served as a moral compass for a society in transition. However, as her April 1 guest article in the New York Times, “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan,” makes all too clear, even celebrated prose can mislead when romanticism clouds political judgement. Lung crafts a narrative that is less an analysis of Taiwan’s geopolitical reality than an exercise in wistful nostalgia. As political scientists and international relations academics, we believe it is crucial to correct the misconceptions embedded in her article,
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), the leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), caused a national outrage and drew diplomatic condemnation on Tuesday after he arrived at the New Taipei City District Prosecutors’ Office dressed in a Nazi uniform. Sung performed a Nazi salute and carried a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf as he arrived to be questioned over allegations of signature forgery in the recall petition. The KMT’s response to the incident has shown a striking lack of contrition and decency. Rather than apologizing and distancing itself from Sung’s actions,
RSS