Because of the nation’s low vaccination coverage, the government has been ordering large amounts of vaccines from international manufacturers.
Some people have questioned the prices that the government is paying for vaccines, while others have questioned the profitability of domestically developed and produced vaccines.
These objections and doubts are not completely unfounded, but regardless of whether the information about prices and profitability comes from insiders or from malicious opponents to the ruling government, it is provoking many public reactions. The reason likely relates to a lack of confidence in the government’s integrity.
Whether it is the Corruption Perceptions Index or the Government Defense Integrity Index, prestigious international government integrity review organizations have repeatedly given Taiwan highly positive ratings for political integrity in the past few years, based on the results of empirical surveys and expert opinions.
The question is why Taiwanese still lack a high degree of confidence in the integrity of their government. There is a deep-rooted reason, and it might have to do with local governments.
Most of the analysis of anti-corruption initiatives is based on a national framework, and the performance indicators are focused on the central government’s achievements and lack any explicit focus on local governments. People generally do not realize that, rather than referring to bureaucrats at the central government level, public perception of the government is based on the integrity of their locally elected representatives and the performance of their local governments.
Moreover, nepotism is a more common occurrence in local governments, and transparency into hiring and procurement is much lower than at the central government level. This makes corruption much more feasible.
In addition to the unprecedented international support and attention that President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) foreign affairs and defense policies have attracted during her second term in office, she will hopefully also be able to accomplish a few achievements when it comes to the eradication of local corruption, as this is a matter of immense importance.
At the same time, the Agency Against Corruption and the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau are particularly important when it comes to making a substantive effort to fight corruption, because in a democracy, the freedom of the media and a vibrant democratic process provide strong support for anti-corruption efforts and increase the effectiveness of anti-corruption agencies. If this could be coupled with efficient electronic government systems to investigate and unearth wrongdoing, it should be possible to enhance the perception of government integrity in Taiwan.
Tsao Yao-chun is a researcher with the Chinese Association of Public Affairs Management and a Government Defense Integrity Index external expert.
Translated by Perry Svensson
In an article published by the Harvard Kennedy School, renowned historian of modern China Rana Mitter used a structured question-and-answer format to deepen the understanding of the relationship between Taiwan and China. Mitter highlights the differences between the repressive and authoritarian People’s Republic of China and the vibrant democracy that exists in Taiwan, saying that Taiwan and China “have had an interconnected relationship that has been both close and contentious at times.” However, his description of the history — before and after 1945 — contains significant flaws. First, he writes that “Taiwan was always broadly regarded by the imperial dynasties of
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will stop at nothing to weaken Taiwan’s sovereignty, going as far as to create complete falsehoods. That the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has never ruled Taiwan is an objective fact. To refute this, Beijing has tried to assert “jurisdiction” over Taiwan, pointing to its military exercises around the nation as “proof.” That is an outright lie: If the PRC had jurisdiction over Taiwan, it could simply have issued decrees. Instead, it needs to perform a show of force around the nation to demonstrate its fantasy. Its actions prove the exact opposite of its assertions. A
An American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) spokesperson on Saturday rebuked a Chinese official for mischaracterizing World War II-era agreements as proving that Taiwan was ceded to China. The US Department of State later affirmed that the AIT remarks reflect Washington’s long-standing position: Taiwan’s political status remains undetermined and should only be resolved peacefully. The US would continue supporting Taiwan against military, economic, legal and diplomatic pressure from China, and opposes any unilateral attempt to alter the “status quo,” particularly through coercion or force, the United Daily News cited the department as saying. The remarks followed Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently sat down for an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in which he openly acknowledged that ChatGPT’s model behavior is indeed influencing the entire world, and that he himself is responsible for the decisions related to the bot’s moral framework. He said that he has not had a good night of sleep since its launch, as the technology could bring about unpredictable consequences. Although the discussion took place in the US, it is closely related to Taiwan. While Altman worries about the concentration of power, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has already weaponized artificial
RSS