The Agency Against Corruption (AAC) of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Taipei Office are once again collaborating to organize the “Indo-Pacific Youth Exchange on Anti-Corruption” series of events in June this year. The event invites 15 young leaders from NGOs across four countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Papua New Guinea, to visit Taiwan again and participate in the “2023 GCTF International Workshop on Multi-Stakeholder Engagement in Anti-Corruption” organized by the MOJ. AAC Director-General Rong-Sung Chuang led the delegation to visit and learn about the achievements of the Kaohsiung City Government in promoting integrity platforms and administrative transparency measures. This hands-on experience allowed the Indo-Pacific youth to personally witness Taiwan's tangible efforts in anti-corruption and integrity-building that resonate with its citizens.

The prelude to the “Indo-Pacific Youth Exchange on Anti-Corruption” series of events was initiated in August 2022 during Review Meeting of ROC’s Second Report under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The young leaders were invited to observe and experience Taiwan's independent implementation of the UNCAC, as well as its determination to accept and undergo external scrutiny and oversight. The next phase of the series of activities was launched in June 2023, starting from the issues of “Open Government”, “Administrative Transparency”, and “Youth Advocacy” explored in this International Workshop. It allowed young people to witness how a free, democratic, and open Taiwan can harness its strengths and expertise to gradually align with international anti-corruption focus and trends. The GCTF International workshop held on June 13 and 14 promotes exchanges and cooperation between different fields and disciplines. In addition to the virtual participation of Ms. Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair of Transparency International, through online video conferencing, the workshop also gathered experts and scholars from countries such as the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Representatives from various domestic institutions and organizations including the MOJ, the AAC, the Investigation Bureau of the MOJ, the National Development Council, the Anti-Money Laundering Office of the Executive Yuan, the Youth Development Administration of the Ministry of Education, the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the National Police Agency, as well as civil society organizations such as the Open Culture Foundation and DSP, Inc., were invited to participate. The objective was to promote exchanges and broaden the understanding of diverse groups from different countries regarding their experiences and perspectives on promoting law enforcement cooperation and combating corruption.

Building upon the positive feedback received from visiting central government agencies such as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and the Ministry of Finance in 2022 to learn about various government integrity measures, the AAC Director-General Chuang further arranged for the Indo-Pacific youth to visit local government agencies on June 16. Participants had the opportunity to observe the integrity platforms and administrative transparency measures of the Kaohsiung City Government, particularly in the context of the integrity platforms for the “Asia New Bay Area Economic and Trade Park Specific Trade Zone (III)” urban renewal project and the “Anxinju” (worry-free living) social housing program. This visit served to reveal how this industrial city is gradually transforming into a livable city under the framework of “integrity and aesthetics.” The participants also had the opportunity to board a patrol vessel under the guidance of the Ocean Affairs Council. Besides experiencing Taiwan’s determination to defend its sovereignty, they gained insights into the indispensable role of integrity in the process of Taiwan’s indigenous shipbuilding program. There is a positive correlation between sound urban development and administrative transparency in governance. This exchange not only allowed the Indo-Pacific youth to witness the tangible achievements of Kaohsiung City’s construction projects, but also provided them with an in-depth understanding of the underlying principles of sustainability, open government, and public-private collaboration in governance strategies. As shared by an Indonesian youth leader during the concluding discussions, the pace of urban transformation requires effective cross-disciplinary collaboration, resource integration, and horizontal integration. A young fellow from Sri Lanka further recognized that the government's introduction of new technologies, such as 3D mapping was driven by the intent to respond to the needs of the people, gradually transforming the image of Kaohsiung from within. In the end, Deputy Director- General Feng-Liang Shen, on behalf of the AAC, expressed the hope that through this exchange, the youth would enhance their understanding and recognition of integrity and transparency. Armed with their experiences and observations in Taiwan, they can return to their own countries and continue their efforts in anti-corruption work, drawing a beautiful conclusion to the next chapter of this series of activities.

This second collaboration between the AAC and NDI in organizing the Indo-Pacific Youth Exchange on Anti-Corruption series of activities not only reflects the implementation of the concluding observations of the Review Meeting of ROC’s Second Report under the UNCAC, which suggested that Taiwan could consider sharing its anti-corruption techniques and experiences with developing countries to strengthen relations and influence but also upholds the original intention of “making friends with integrity” and responds to the commitment made in the prelude of the 2022 series of activities. In the future, the AAC will continue to adopt this successful model of cooperation with the international community, hoping to develop more possibilities to market Taiwan's fruitful anti-corruption achievements. The AAC looks forward to continuing partnerships with NDI in the future!