Taiwan on Thursday joined dozens of countries in signing a declaration led by the US to promote a free and open Internet to counter “rising digital authoritarianism.”
Minister Without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐鳳) represented the government at a virtual ceremony hosted by the White House and signed the Declaration for the Future of the Internet.
Other signatories included Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK and the European Commission.
Photo: screenshot from Facebook
Tang yesterday wrote on Facebook that it remained an urgent task for democratic nations to build an Internet environment where economic and social development is encouraged, and democratic values and individual rights are protected.
Taiwan has much to contribute to the task taken on by the declaration’s signatories, Tang added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the nation’s participation in the initiative was the latest example of the close partnership between Taiwan and the US, and of US support for Taiwan’s engagement in international affairs.
It also said in a statement that Taiwan would continue working with like-minded countries to contribute to efforts to tackle global challenges.
Sixty countries have endorsed the declaration, which aims to “support a future for the Internet that is open, free, global, interoperable, reliable and secure, and affirm their commitment to protecting and respecting human rights online and across the digital world,” a White House statement said.
The US and its partners through the initiative would work to tackle what they described as “rising digital authoritarianism,” the statement said, adding that some countries had acted to repress freedom of expression, censor independent news sites, interfere with elections, promote disinformation and deny their citizens other human rights.
Signatories are committed to protecting human rights and the fundamental freedoms of all people while strengthening a multistakeholder approach to governance that keeps the Internet available for the benefit of all, the statement said.
Countries that backed the declaration agreed to promote a global Internet that advances the free flow of information and trust in the global digital ecosystem, including through protection of privacy, the statement said.
The signatories would also strive to advance inclusive and affordable connectivity so that all people can benefit from the digital economy, it added.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said of the declaration in a separate statement that “the future of the Internet is also the future of democracy, of humankind.”
“Like-minded countries from all over the world are setting out a shared vision for the future of the Internet, to make sure that the values we hold true offline are also protected online, to make the Internet a safe place and trusted space for everyone, and to ensure that the Internet serves our individual freedom,” she added.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS