The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) aims to provide a guide for legislation and policymaking against corruption. Signatories began to implement individual review mechanisms from 2009, but only 19 of all 189 signatories published a full initial national report on UNCAC implementation by March 2022. Although Taiwan is not a UNCAC signatory, in 2015 it began to practice UNCAC after the passage of the Act to Implement United Nations Convention against Corruption to connect with the world and demonstrate its commitment against corruption. Further in 2018 it voluntarily published the Initial National Report on UNCAC and invited five international anti-corruption experts to complete the international review of the report, which was a pioneer act of the world. After persistent implementation for four years, it eventually published the 2^nd National Report on UNCAC on April 20 through the concerted efforts of experts, scholars, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, and government agencies against the pandemic’s challenges.

In the 2^nd Report, it presented 10 highlight achievements against corruption, including the mutual evaluation of anti-money laundering, Asian corporate governance evaluation, and Government Defence Integrity Index (GDI), all with outstanding performance. In connection with the world, it implemented the Open Government National Action Plan and expanded international criminal mutual legal assistance. Additionally, based on Taiwan’s advantage, it introduced the Government Procurement Integrity Platform and Integrity Awards (tentative), furthered anti-corruption education and cultivation of interdisciplinary anti-corruption talents, and seized and confiscated unjust enrichment from corruptions to specifically address the requirements of UNCAC and international trends.

This report suggests five actions to persistently optimize legislation against corruption. They include the integration of the Anti-Corruption Act and “Chapter 4 Offenses of Malfeasance in Office” of the Criminal Code, drafting regulations for trading in influence, implementation of whistleblower protection, establishment of the transparency policy for emergency procurement, and further enforcement of the recourse of corruption offences by prosecution and judicial authorities in order to meet the global anti-corruption trend and address social expectations.

The international review of the 2^nd national report will take place this August 30-September 2. Taiwan will invite international organizations and non-governmental organizations that have long been devoted to anti-corruption and established and influential anti-corruption experts to conduct on-site reviews in Taiwan to give concluding advice on the report. Five committee members will include José Ugaz (Peru), former chairperson of Transparency International, who will chair the international review committee again; two women specialists Gillian Dell (USA), Head of the Conventions Programme at Transparency International, who joins the international review for the first time; and Julie Haggie (New Zealand), CEO of Transparency International New Zealand; it is hoped that they can give opinions from the women’s point of view to broaden the vision of anti-corruption issues; and two members of Taiwan’s first international review: Geo-Sung Kim (South Korea), former chairperson of Transparency International South Korea, and Peter Ritchie (Australia), Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser for the ABA Rule of Law Initiative, to continue their involvement in Taiwan’s international review. During the review, these five international experts will engage in in-depth discussions with Taiwan’s different government agencies regarding the status of UNCAC implementation in Taiwan. This will also let the world understand more and better about the achievements and determination in defending anti-corruption as a universal value through collaboration with the government, enterprises, and civil society. It is believed that the review will be an extraordinary event.

Taiwan never stops its march and determination to connect with the world in anti-corruption. The efforts in promoting anti-corruption are known to the public. The 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) announced by Transparency International shows that Taiwan’s ranking and score are the highest over the years. They are also the best evidence of the global recognition of all the efforts. In the future, Taiwan will keep constant track on international trends and self-implementation of the UNCAC in order to improve Taiwan’s performance in all aspects and let the world see a cleaner Taiwan.