Premier Su Tseng-chang on Monday received members of the international review committee for the ROC's Second Report under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Taiwan is not a U.N. member state, the premier said, but we possess a strong determination to fight against corruption. The government will continue doing its utmost to promote anti-corruption reforms in various areas; the premier hopes these efforts will lead to further improvements for the country.
In 2015, Taiwan's Act to Implement United Nations Convention against Corruption came into effect, officially incorporating UNCAC into domestic law. In 2018, the government published its first national report on the convention and invited an international committee to review the report. Committee members provided much praise along with recommendations for Taiwan, which the government subsequently followed to implement changes in many areas. The premier hopes committee members can lend Taiwan their support and guidance for this year's second report as well.
Committee Chairperson Jos Ugaz delivered remarks, stating that, "No country in the world is free of corruption and of the threat it implies to its stability and development. Although Taiwan is not a current member of the United Nations and therefore is not obliged by the United Nations Convention against Corruption, it has imposed the accomplishment of its standards, enacting domestic legislation to implement the UNCAC."
Chairperson Ugaz went on to say that since 2010, Taiwan has actively shown political will and adopted many anti-corruption initiatives, redoubling its efforts to benefit the people. As a result of those efforts, he said, "Taiwan has received international recognition for its achievements in integrity and transparency, including a significant improvement in its position in the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International in the past 2 years."
Chairperson Ugaz closed his remarks by stating that eradicating corruption requires a multi-pronged approach, as well as sustained and far-reaching anti-corruption strategies, and that Taiwan has been moving in that direction in recent years.