Seventy-one US representatives signed a joint letter urging US President Joe Biden’s administration to assist Taiwan’s bid to join the International Criminal Police Organization and participate as an observer in the Interpol General Assembly next week.
The letter, based on a bipartisan initiative by US representatives John Curtis, Michael Guest and Gerry Connolly, was sent to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Interpol Washington Director Michael Hughes on Tuesday last week.
A news release issued on Thursday by Curtis’ office cited the letter as saying that by participating in Interpol, Taiwan could work with the US and other international allies to fight corruption and abuse of the Interpol system.
Photo: Reuters
“Taiwan’s lack of participation leaves a void in global crime-fighting efforts,” the lawmakers wrote.
Taiwan must obtain second-hand information from friendly nations, and is unable to effectively share information about criminals and suspicious activity with the international community, they said.
The letter also highlighted laws that require Washington to develop strategies to assist Taiwan’s efforts to participate in Interpol, as well as other international organizations.
These include a bill signed into law by then-US president Barack Obama on March 18, 2016, and the Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act, which was signed into law by then-US president Donald Trump on March 26 last year.
The “legislation clearly demonstrates congressional intent to support strategies to gain meaningful Interpol participation, and ultimately membership, for Taiwan,” the representatives wrote.
Curtis’ news release said: “This administration needs to fulfill the intent laws passed by Congress, counter China’s influence and make a strong push for Taiwan’s participation in Interpol ahead of the general assembly meeting later this month.”
Taiwan joined Interpol in 1961 using its formal name, the Republic of China, but was forced to withdraw when the People’s Republic of China joined the organization in 1984. Interpol has since denied Taiwan’s requests to participate, citing a resolution at its 53rd General Assembly that accepted China as a member.
This year’s general assembly is to take place from Tuesday to Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey.
WHEELING AND DEALING? Hou You-yi, Ko Wen-je, Eric Chu and Ma Ying-jeou are under investigation for allegedly offering bribes for the other side to drop out of the race Taipei prosecutors have started an investigation into allegations that four top politicians involved in attempts to form a “blue-white” presidential ticket have contravened election regulations. Listed as defendants are Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate and New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜), KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of the KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲). The case stemmed from judicial complaints filed last month with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office alleging that the KMT (blue) and the TPP (white) had engaged in bribery by offering money or other enticements
COUNTER DISINFORMATION: More engagement and media literacy are needed to push back against misinformation and claims that the US is an unreliable partner, the AIT director said The US is “confident” that Taiwan does not face an imminent threat of a Chinese invasion, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Sandra Oudkirk told a US public radio show, adding that Washington remains committed to defensively arming the nation. She made the comment during an interview on All Things Considered, broadcast on Friday on US-based National Public Radio. “There is an important distinction between making plans and training troops, and getting ready to do something,” Oudkirk said, on whether she thinks Beijing plans to attack Taiwan in the near future. Chinese officials have told Washington that “their preference is for peaceful reunification,
EXPOSED: Some Taipei wardens reported joining the trips out of peer pressure, while others said they were relieved it was made public so they could refuse, a city councilor said Nearly 30 percent of Taipei borough wardens have joined group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government, leading prosecutors probing potential Chinese interference in January’s elections to question local officials, an investigation showed. Democratic Progressive Party Taipei City councilors Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) and Chen E-jun (陳怡君) have reported cases of Taipei borough wardens inviting residents to join inexpensive privately organized group tours to China that were partially funded by the Chinese government. The six-day trips reportedly cost NT$10,000 to NT$15,000, the councilors said. An investigation by the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper) showed that nearly 30 percent
ELIGIBLE FOR JANUARY: All presidential candidates and their running mates meet the requirements to run for office, and none hold dual citizenship, the CEC said Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator and vice presidential candidate Cynthia Wu (吳欣盈) is working with the Central Election Commission (CEC) to resolve issues with her financial disclosure statement, a spokesman for the candidate said yesterday, after the commission published the statements of all three presidential candidates and their running mates, while confirming their eligibility to run in the Jan. 13 election. Wu’s office spokesman, Chen Yu-cheng (陳宥丞), said the candidate encountered unforeseen difficulties disclosing her husband’s finances due to being suddenly thrust into the campaign. She is also the first vice presidential nominee to have a foreign spouse, complicating the reporting of