We have completed the “Mid-Term Report on Concluding Observations from Review of the ROC’s Initial Report under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)”. This report is incorporated with 41 central government entities and 22 local governments to respond to Concluding Observations from Review of the ROC’s Initial Report in August 2018 and present as the result of our effort in the last 2 years. This report also highlights the work to be accomplished in the future, which is expected to receive supervision and inspection from all walks of life, and served as the yardstick for the preparation of the second national report to be published in 2021 and the international review scheduled to be conducted in 2022.

International anti-corruption experts proposed 47 points as concluding observations under the topic of the “Anti-Corruption Reforms in Taiwan” in the international review meeting of Initial Report under the UNCAC in August 2018. The content covers 6 dimensions of “strengthening anti-corruption in the private sector”, “promoting preventive measures for anti-corruption”, “strengthening the framework of the anti-corruption organization”, “drafting, amending and implementing laws and regulations related to conviction and enforcement”, “strengthening international mutual legal assistance and law enforcement cooperation for criminal cases”, and “developing professional training”, which will be vital for Taiwan as reference for refinement of anti-corruption works.

Taiwan has been positive in taking mid-term review in the period of 2 years after the conclusion of international review. The concluding observations have been point-by-point and tracked on record at the initial stage, including the 25 points for recognition of our work, and the 22 points suggested for further effort. The progress of follow-up actions, preliminary result, and subsequent actions planned to be taken are fully elaborated.

The actions taken in response to the concluding observations yielded result in many aspects for the time being. Examples are the official release of the 3^rd Round Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) in 2019 by Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), which indicated that Taiwan has been put on the list of “Regular Follow-Up” instead of “Enhanced Follow-Up” in the past. In addition, Taiwan has scored 65 marks in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2019 announced by Transparency International, which was ranked the 28^th place of the world. This is the best performance since the adoption of the new evaluation standard since 2012. In responding to the concluding observations, Taiwan has made solid achievements in revising the “Act on Recusal of Public Servants Due to Conflicts of Interest”; amending the “Company Act” to stipulate the need to disclose the information of shareholders holding over 10% of the company’s stake; enhancing the kind governance, including internal control and legal compliance, in the private sector; strengthening the reporting channels and protection mechanisms for whistleblowers in the financial industries; and reinforcing integrity education in kindergarten and elementary schools. In the intensification of international cooperation and exchange, Taiwan has signed Integrity Collaboration Agreement with Belize in 2019, and studied the first “Open Government National Action Plan” in 2020 with a view to becoming a part of the “Open Government Partnership” (OGP).

In addition, Taiwan has also proactively launched a number of draft bills in response to the recommendation under the concluding observations. Examples are the study on the “Whistleblower Protection Act”, study on the amendment to the “Criminal Code” in the aspects of the crime of transaction and gift under influence, and study on the amendment to the “Act of Extradition” by the Ministry of Justice. The draft bills are now in the review stage and are hopefully to pass through the legislation (amendment) procedure. Other rules and regulations are in the process of study, such as the legislative mode for commercial (business) bribery prevention, the statute of limitations on the right of prosecution for corruption, and the “Scientific and Technological Investigation Act”. Opinions from academia and industry will further be accepted and integrated to build up consensus for legislation (amendment). 

The government will continue to be prepared to demonstrate effort and determination in the advocacy of anti-corruption work and the acceleration of alignment with international standards. Through our effort in different ways, we hope the international community may witness the effort of Taiwan in creating a competent and ethical environment for the public and the private sector to its entirety. Taiwan will pool its power in fighting corruption and upgrading international competitiveness to brave every inspection and challenge to show the world its integrity.